Perverted You
by mushi6618
Summary: You shall be the Mistress of Fear. You *will* join me. - Jonathan Crane, aka The Scarecrow. Set before the events in Perverted Me.
1. Anuptaphobia

Perverted You

Chapter 1: Fear of staying single.

_~January 23, 2002~_

…

"Check."

Slender fingers let go of the red Queen that had positioned itself ready to attack the white King. The man with the slender fingers folded his thin arms and leaned back in a chair that was much too large for his lithe body.

"Your turn, Tetch."

A man with a rather large bucktoothed grin and enormous paper top hat studied his King's situation. He decided to move his white Rook, not only did it protect his King but it put his opponents red King in…

"Check! Ha! Your turn, Marchie!"

"Marchie's" face turned sour as he reached for his Bishop. His long arm picked up the hollow plastic game piece and with his swift hands took the white Rook and replaced it with his red Bishop.

"Check Mate. Oh, and Jervis, call me _Marchie_ again and I make you relive your worst nightmare."

"Ah, come now Jonathan. I can't very well go calling you Scarecrow all the time, besides you'd make a perfect March Hare!"

"Just shut it Tetch and replace the pieces."

This was a typical day in Arkham. At least this is what it'd become for Jonathan Crane. Get up, eat a disgusting breakfast, research till noon, eat a disgusting lunch, meet with Jervis and play chess till dinner, eat a disgusting dinner, go back to his cell to research some more, go to sleep and restart everything the next day. Even his chess games with Jervis were becoming habitual. Play till one wins, loser resets the chess board, and the winner goes first.

"Your move, Mar-Um… Crane."

As Jonathan started the game he thought about his opponent. Jervis Tetch was smart, maybe even smarter than himself, which he didn't like to admit. Jervis or as he like to be called, The Mad Hatter, seemed to always place Jon in the role of one of his silly Louis Carroll books. The man was as good as company got in Arkham. Jonathan had even partnered with him in several criminal related endeavors and in some odd part of his mind he considered Jervis to be a friend.

"Check!"

Jervis's loud shrill brought him out of his thoughts. Jonathan looked down at the game and sure enough, he was in check. His white King was in the L of Jervis's red Knight. He scowled, he never liked the Knight game piece; it reminded him of a certain Gotham Knight. Instead of bowing to defeat he moved his white Queen, switching it with the red Knight.

"Nice try, Tetch." He said with a smirk, but his opponent just got a weird look on his face as he stared at the chess game.

"_They're getting on very well_…"

"Jervis, really? Don't you ever get tired of Carroll?"

Jonathan watched in mild amusement at his partner in crime returned to reality. Briefly he wondered if that's what he looked like when he went off on one of his own mind lapses.

"Hmm, what? Oh no, never! Louis Carroll wrote some of the most beloved wor-"

"Yes, yes, it's your turn."

Jervis gave a small humph, and went back to the game. The man's small white gloved hand moved his own red Queen.

"Check again, you unruly Jabberwocky."

Jonathan actually laughed at that one, that and Jervis looked ridiculous sitting with his legs and arms crossed over, and his overly large nose turned upward tiring to look insulted. The Mad Hatter looked more like a grown up pouty kid in a large hat and prison clothes who didn't get the toy he wanted. With those thoughts in his mind he wasn't paying attention to where he'd moved his white Queen.

"Jonathan."

"Heh, what now Tetch."

"Tie."

"Jervis what are you talking about."

"Look." At this he pointed to the game.

Only four pieces occupied the checkered spaces, two Queens and two Kings. The white Queen had the red King in check and the red Queen had the white King in check. The players had tied.

"…So we have." Neither player knew what to do: they never had a tied game.

"Now what?"

Jonathan looked up at his friend, a puzzled expression on his face, and leaned back in his chair. Somewhere in the small wreck room a guard turned up the volume on the plexiglass encased TV. The two inmates turned to look at the screen.

"…_And today, is Gotham ready for a new District Attorney? Some say yes, which brings us to the subject of our newest candidates ready to run for the position…"_

"Harvey's not going to like this, eh Tetch."

"Hmm, it certainly won't be a _slithy _journey for those candidates…" At this both the chess players smiled, showing that while they may act normal sometimes, they really were the rogues Gotham feared. Jonathan was about to suggest they play a quick game of rock, paper, scissors to decide who would set up the board when his ears picked up a familiar name.

"…_Here are those names again: Albert Baker, Jessica Felix, Louie Blunt, Robert Flank, and Rebecca Albright. This is sure to be a…"_

Jonathan stared at the hazy screen, the world seemed to slow, and all he could hear was the reporter repeating one name: Rebecca Albright. Rebecca Albright, Becky Albright, Brave Becky, Plucky Becky, the brave undergrad. His mind took him back to one of his experiments, a neighborhood where he tested his new fear toxin. Then he was in court, on trial with a young woman who had a limp and wild Indian red hair. Images changed and he was on a railroad track watching her relive a fear strikingly similar to his own. The flashback ended with him dropping her "Mistress of Fear" costume as her rejection echoed in his mind.

"Marchie? Um, I mean, Jonathan you OK?"

"No, I… I'm not." Jonathan put both hands on his head trying to still the migraine that was forming.

"Well, what is the matter?"

At this Jon just looked up at his chess partner, then looked toward the TV and back, he was contemplating on whether or not he should tell his friend. Jervis had a bit of a flare for the romantic and having Jonathan tell him about his little invitation to his former "interest" would surely have the smaller man's mind set to work.

"_You're a very poor speaker."_

"Damn it, Tetch. Enough with the Alice in Wonderland quotes."

"Actually it's Alice's Adventur-"

"Whatever, if you must know…" he paused, this wasn't like him. "It's about one of the D.A. candidates."

"You don't actually think one of them could be a threat, do you?" Jervis's face looked shocked.

"No! Of course not, but… I do happen to know one of them."

"Personally or professionally?" Jon glared at him. "Both, then?" Jon averted his eyes. "Oh my, so which one or ones do you know?"

Jonathan pushed his glasses up, closed his eyes, and squeezed his temples.

"Albright." He waited, and opened his eyes, setting his hands in his lap. Sure enough Tetch's eyes lit up.

"A woman! I see. How exactly did you get to know Miss Albright?"

"She testified against me and put me in here." That seemed to deflate Jervis's look.

"Then how do you know her personally?" Jonathan shifted in his seat, uncomfortable.

"When I got out, I followed her. Found out her fears…"

"Yes, your usual motivation. Go on."

"Well, it turned out her fears… were, uh, a lot like my own. So I…" he paused, unable to say what he'd done.

"You, what? Jonathan?"

Jonathan felt furious as he remembered Becky's rejection and was ashamed that he was telling Jervis such a private matter. Why should he know? It wasn't his fault she'd rejected him! He felt like exploding.

"She had all the signs Tetch; she could have been one of us! She could have been…" At this he stopped. Jervis had a knowing look on his face, and Jonathan hated it.

"She could have been yours. Right, Jonathan? Hm, I know that feeling."

Tetch wasn't laughing at him; unlike the Joker and the Riddler did the day he was sent back to Arkham after his proposal to Becky. The Mad Hatter's sad look seemed to calm him some. Then he remembered Jervis's own past and cringed at the memory. Jervis had fallen in love with his secretary, Alice. The story had ended with Jervis as Gotham's new rogue, the Mad Hatter, and a broken heart. He suddenly realized they probably wouldn't be playing anymore chess that day.

The two villains sat in silence at the chess table that they'd occupied for most of their criminal careers. They were both staring at the white and red pieces when Jervis slammed his hand down on the table, startling Jonathan.

"I won't let it happen."

"Excuse me?'

"Crane, you deserve that young lady!" Jonathan rolled his eyes; here came the romantic side of Tetch. "Did you make an outfit for her?"

"What?" This threw him.

"Did you make a costume for her?"

"Y-yes, so-"

"Did you give it to her?"

"What does that hav-"

"Did you?"

"Damn it, Tetch. _Yes._ Yes, I gave it to her and you know what she did? She scoffed at me and said she'd rather die than wear it." His hands balled into fists as he seethed. "I wanted her; she was going to be my Mistress of Fear. But no she called me crazy, she was the crazy one, she…"

Jonathan noticed Jervis wasn't looking at him anymore and it didn't take him long to figure out why. He was crying. The tears were hot when he wiped them away. Calming down, Jonathan composed himself.

"You still want her." It wasn't a question, Jon's face was downcast, and both fists re-balled.

"Jonathan how long has it been since you broke out of here?"

"Two months, five days, sixteen hours, nine minutes, and twenty seven seconds in counting."

"Hmm, a week, three day, four hours, two minutes, and five seconds off from mine."

"What are you getting at Jervis?" Jonathan looked up at his friend. The Mad Hatter had a dangerous gleam in his eyes and a huge Cheshire cat smile.

"I think I want to help you get your Mistress."

Jonathan could felt the gears working in his friends head. Whatever Jervis was planning it was bound to get them in trouble. But what was being a super villain if you didn't break the rules?

"What do you mean?"

"Ah! _Well…_

…

Jonathan had just gotten back to his cell. His stomach was partial full from the gruel that they served and his mind was preoccupied with the escape plans Jervis had told him. In theory it was simple: a few mind control cards, some fear gas, and they were free. On the outside the Scarecrow would create some sort of commotion and the Mad Hatter would steal two of the candidates for his tea party. After a day or two both parties will drop the original plans and go into hiding. The two kidnapped candidates will wash up on the shores of Gotham cities Bay River.

Of course one of those candidates will be Rebecca Albright and as for her body being found in the river, well, that will be her stunt double. He worked it out that a simple ransomed or I'll gas your city scheme will work on his end. As for Tetch's tea party idea, it was something he'd done often enough and it worked to his advantage he was kidnapping a possible future district attorney. The only person clever and stupid enough to stop them was the Batman, but they'd never pulled this kind of heist before.

One thing did bother him. Jervis never assumed that he wanted Becky for revenge. Tetch probably though Jonathan wanted the woman for romantic reasons. Well, he sort of did. Granted the girl was almost a good ten or eleven years his junior, Jonathan could imagine himself with her. He had already, ever since that day in the hospital when he heard her talk about hitting back at her tormentors. It was there he'd also seen her without a smock on…

Jonathan felt his pants get rather tight and tried to shift on his small cot. He kept telling himself there was no use in getting worked up over the fact that he'd seen some girl naked. Hell, he'd seen Poison Ivy naked and you couldn't find a woman with a body any better than that. But the thought of Pamela naked didn't stir him at all.

"Figures."

So he thought about the girl with a limp who put him back in an insane asylum and felt his body heat as he pictured her in certain scenarios. Then he thought about seeing her again after his and Tetch's plan went through. Jonathan smiled at the thought.

"Agoraphobia, clasustrophobia, arachnophobia, achluophobia, ophidiophobia, germophobia, acrophobia, aquaphobia, atychiphobia, thanatophobia, biophobia, genophobia, virginitiphobia…"

After all, revenge is sweet and there are worse things than death.


	2. Scelerophobia

Perverted You

Chapter 2: Fear of bad men.

_~February 1, 2002~_

…

"The greatest weakness of all is the fear of appearing weak." The woman paused in her research.

"This is a quote from Jacques Benigne Bossuel, and its part of the latest ransomed note from the Scarecrow."

At the mention of the name the young lawyer stopped her research completely. Looking up she kept her ears trained on what her supervisor was saying.

"It reads: "You all may fear me but you also fear yourselves, you try to hide it with buttons and bells, when the weak has come to an end, the day will seem quite upturned, so forth will your fears swell. After all, the greatest weakness of all is the fear of appearing weak." At the bottom is a ransom for five million dollars, but what makes this case different is that Scarecrow has changed his tactics."

The young woman watched as the man pinned up some picture of other rouges: The Riddler, the Mad Hatter, the Joker, and some pictures of minor thugs.

"Now my sources tell me…" Someone coughed the word Batman in the background. "…that this could be a joint ransom. Opinions?"

A few hands were held up, including the young woman's.

"Markey's." The young man stood up, he was a young police officer.

"The first part of the note is a riddle. That's the Riddler's signature, the part about the fear, that's the Scarecrow's."

"Good, Collins."

"This could be a joke, sir; we have had something like this arrive before that was sent from the Joker. The part with "the day will seem quite upturned" that's more like is M. O. and he has used the other Rouges gimmicks before."

"Yes that's true, uh Blunt."

Louie Blunt stood up, he was young and from a rich family. The man's black hair was greased back and he wore a rather expensive suit. For a future D.A. he seemed out of place in a police office.

"Ya, know. I think this might, be a, connected to that Hatter guy."

"How do you suppose that Blunt?"

"Well, they escaped tagetha, right? Maybe they're in cahoots?"

"That is a possibility but the reports say they split just as they got out. Now, no matter which one of these crooks sent this, doesn't mean we can't find them. We already know that two of our suspects have escaped, the Joker as you know is still locked up at Arkham and the Riddler has been in hiding for the past three months. Ugh, yes Albright?"

Attention in the room turned to face a young woman. Her cane was propped up against the side of the table she was currently working at and her red hair kept frizzing, getting into her face. She wore a dark blue dress with black suit coat, and to make her stand out even more, a pair of red basketball sneakers. She stood up.

"I think this ransom is the Scarecrow's, the talk of fear, upturning society, weakness – these are his signatures. It's just, before he left them separately; this ransom combines all of them. A-also, this ransom isn't a riddle; it's an attempt at a poem."

"Yes, well, another theory. But on to the technical side of things. My sources…" Another cough. "…say that we have a week to fulfill these demands or one Gotham's historical statues." He paused. "This is a serious issue, we could be dealing with laughing gas, fear toxin, explosives, and god forbid, mind control. So let's find these wackos before they get a chance to use their gadgets."

With that the meeting was over, most of the officers went back on duties, everyone went back to work, and Becky sat back down ready to dive back into her research on Jonathan Crane. It had been four years since that night on Gotham University's roof top that she was confronted by the Scarecrow and lived to tell about it. Ever since then she'd thrown herself into her work, but not because of her fears of social scrutiny. She wanted the man put behind bars for good so that no one ever had to go through the effects of his fear toxin. But she was lying to herself; she did it because she was both curious and still afraid he might come after her again.

Becky had studied his profiles, found out as much of his past she could, researched his documents and some books on fear, and made sure to keep tabs on him. The first year after her encounter with the Scarecrow she'd gotten a job as a lawyer; put away a lot of thugs. The second year passed and she'd put away some of the Gotham's more recognized badies. It allowed her to move up and find out more information on Crane. By the third year she'd locked away two big name crime lords and two infamous Gotham rouges: The Penguin and Poison Ivy. In her fourth year she was ready to run for District Attorney. Not only that but if she pulled her strings right, she'd have enough evidence against Jonathan Crane, aka the Scarecrow to put him away for life.

Things were working out perfectly; at least that's what she thought.

"Albright, get over here now."

"Yes, Lt. Bullock."

"Look, I know what you're thinking and I can't have you work the Scare-boy's file."

"But, sir-"

"No! Gezz, girl look at you. You've been shaken ever since we got that note. Listen I know what happened four years ago, and trust me I've had some run ins myself with old sack face. So trust me this is for your own good."

"You can't just… I have enough evidence on the Scarecrow to send him away for life even with his insanity plea!"

"Damn it Becky, I said no. N. O. Now you got a lot more to worry about than some creep in a mask. You're running for D.A. for Christ sake. Now I want you to go home-"

"But-"

"Get your speech done up for Monday, be ready to come in here as my new District Attorney. Now go, I don't want you in here researching that straw-brain loony no more."

"Y-yes, Lt. Bullock. Thank you sir."

She turned around, her face red making her freckles stand out, and headed back to her desk. She began to pack up her notes when she felt a presence behind her. Ever since her "incident" she'd developed a sort of sixth sense to tell when someone was following her or invading her personal space.

"What do you want, Blunt."

"Whooh! Ha, here I am tiring to get your goat and you get mine!"

"You couldn't scare me if you wanted to, now, what is it you want?"

"Ah, nothing much. Just you, me, a bottle of wine, and a handful of hours."

"You mean minutes."

"Heh, no I mean we should hook up. After all when I become the new D.A. I won't have any time to hit on you."

"Oh, what a loss! Whatever shall I do…?" At this she put her hand to her hand and pretended to be devastated. Within second she was composed, had her cane, and was walking swiftly to the door.

"Ah, hey wait Becky!"

Knowing he'd follow her into the elevator, and not wanting to be stuck in there with him, Becky made a bee-line for the stairs. She knew Louie Blunt hated stairs. Unfortunately, she knew he also loved women, and if there was even the slightest chance with one, he'd take it. So he followed her, making up lame come ons, and trying to get her into his apartment for the night. Becky sighed when she reached the front steps of the police station. Maybe she'd lost him…

"At least let me walk you home?"

"Ugh, fine! But if I hear one more lame innuendo…"

"I'll be quite the whole way, then if ya want to invite me in…" She glared at him. "…Heh, look I'm shutting up. Ok?"

"Whatever let's just go."

Becky's apartment was only a block or two from the station. They walked in silence, neither touching. Becky didn't like Louie, sure he acted like a slimy pig, but he was a good lawyer. She just wished he'd target someone else for his sexual fantasies. Her gate was slower than his because of her leg, and at first glance you think that would make you think her feeble. She used to be, but events had changed her. Law wasn't the only thing Becky studied after her ordeal with Crane. She took several self defense classes, judo, karate, aikido, tai chi, and kendo. Even her cane was altered so a knife was hidden in the handle, not to mention she often used it as a kendo stick.

"So think your gonna win?"

"Hm? Oh, maybe. It will all depend on who get the most votes."

"Yeah. Hey, I heard you can't work the Scarecrow file. Why is that?"

"Oh, you see I was once one of his… _targets_." She never liked the word "victim". "So Lt. Bullock probably thinks I can't handle his case."

"Wow. Well, I don't mean to be _blunt_ but, you're a pretty strong willed girl. I bet you can handle it." She laughed at his lame joke and blushed at his honesty.

"You know Louie, you're alright."

"Sooo, does that mean I'm invited in?"

She didn't answer him. In front of her apartment were two men. They were dressed like characters straight out of a story book. One had a giant hammer and was dressed like a carpenter. The other was in a walrus outfit and held a giant clam opener. It was the Walrus and the Carpenter, two members of the Mad Hatter's Wonderland gang. She turned to Louie only to find him standing stock still, with his eyes were glazed over like he was in some sort of trance.

"L-Louie?" She went to reach for him.

"_No wonder you're late. Why, this watch is exactly two days slow._"

Becky jumped then turned around only to look down at a small man, no more than 4"6 with a large green top hat that had a large card sticking out of it that read: In this Style 10/6. He had on a light green and yellow checkered vest and pants with red and white striped socks and black Victorian shoes. A red and white polka-dotted bow tie adjourned his neck and in one of his outstretched white gloved hands was a beaten up old pocket watch.

Becky racked her brain for every quote she'd read on Louis Carroll.

"Um… _Curiouser and curiouser!_" At this the small mad man's eyes lit up. His already wide bucktooth grin seemed to get larger, spreading up and out, almost to his ears.

"Why dear child, I didn't know you quoted Carroll? Hm, what a shame I have to give you away."

"Ahh... _S-speak English! I don't know the meaning of half those long words, and I d-don't believe you do either!_"

"Hm, very well. _If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?_"

She didn't and she had no idea what was going on. Becky wracked her brain for more quotes.

"_It would be so nice if something made sense for a change._"

"_I don't believe there's an atom of meaning in it._"

"Oh… enough! What do you want with me and Louie?"

"Heh, _that's nothing to what I could say if I chose._"

Suddenly she got that feeling again, and Becky knew someone was coming up behind her. She turned around unsheathing the knife in her cane. The blade met with the side of the Walrus's mask, slicing the material. She ducked, as a hammer slammed down next to her foot. The Carpenter and the now unmasked Walrus were closing in on her, backing her up.

"_If everybody minded their own business, the world would go around a great deal faster than it does._"

Becky was about to turn around and reply when she felt her conscious slip away. Suddenly she could see the world, but she was no longer mentally part of it. The Hatter had slipped a control card on her while she was dealing with the henchmen. The Hatter gave her orders to get in his van, and she did. Becky was both firghtend and slightly relieved when he told her to close her eyes and rest.

Apparently it was going to be a long trip.

…


	3. Contreltophobia

Perverted You

Chapter 3: Fear of sexual abuse.

_~February 2, 2002~_

…

Jonathan got comfortable in his stitched up old lounge chair that was stuffed with straw. He was going over in his head all that had happened in the past week. Everything was going according to plan. He had the police running in circles over the false ransom note he'd planted on the bat-signal. Jervis had come through with his end of the bargain swiftly and he once again had Becky Albright within his spindly grasp.

But the bonus would come when Batman – without knowing it – fails to see the true scheme of his and Jervis's plan. Of course added to that he will have the knowledge that Batman had failed to save 'two' important human lives, lives that could have gone on to put criminals away, at the hands of the Mad Hatter. Well, sort of.

Jon briefly wondered what his hat-loving friend was going to do to that Blunt fellow and the girl, Miss Keeley Heike, Becky's unfortunate stand in; probably massacre their faces then fill their shoes with cement. It would take a good couple of weeks for the flesh and bones to disintegrate to let the bodies float to the surface. By then neither of the two would be identifiable.

Even if they could get prints, teeth, or DNA to prove that it wasn't really Becky Albright swimming in Gotham Bay River it would be too late. Jervis would be in hiding as well as himself, and in a location he hadn't told his hat-friend about. It didn't even matter if anyone found out that he, The Scarecrow, had the young lawyer. Gotham would get their wish to have him out of their hair, so to speak, and this little hiatus would be his longest experiment yet.

To put it simply: he had a plan and it was perfect.

Using what little funds he'd gathered Jon bought a small radio station located next to a corn field sixty mile right outside of Gotham City. Deep underneath the dusty radio tower was his new hideout. It used to be a fallout shelter for a small town that no longer existed. He liked it because of its various storage rooms, damp lit hallways, and overall fear inducing feel. It made spending possibly a year or more underground breaking another human's spirit and will all the more exciting!

Getting up he walked out of his room he labeled CRANE, J. as homage to his days spent in Arkham. Oddly, it made him feel more at home. Jon walked down the small dark lit corridor, his tall lanky frame bent to proceed down the narrow path. As he made his way Jon scanned the doors on either side of him: LABROTORY, KITCHEN, TRAINING, CHEMICAL, LIBRARY, BATHROOM, STORAGE, ALBRIGHT, B. The rest of the hallway led to a dead end.

Just as he was about to open the door he paused. Jonathan was still in his costume or "vestments" as he liked to call them. In his mind he though which would acquire an increased frightening response: himself in his Scarecrow suit, or just himself in a suit. Decisions, decisions…

He went back to his room and switched from his more comfortable attire to his old teacher-esque outfit, which consisted of a brown tweed suit, black loafers, blue button shirt, and because he was in the mood – Halloween tie with pumpkin prints. His bifocals completed his transformation from Master of Fear back to Professor/Doctor Jonathan Crane. His walk back to his captive's room was swifter this time and he held no hesitation when he unlocked the door. His excitement, anger, lust, and fears seemed to peek as he slowly turned the handle...

…

It was the cold that woke her up because somehow she wasn't wearing her coat. At first she thought she was still asleep, with her eyes closed and her covers off in her apartment. She somehow knew she wasn't in her room and soon that turned into panic when she blinked the first couple of times and the only thing she could see was darkness. Becky was never afraid of the dark. She didn't have Nyctophobia. But this wasn't just darkness and she wasn't just lying down. She was strapped to a table and the darkness was more like nothing-ness made to look like something pitch black. There was a slight swishing sound above her that she had no intention of thinking about, but already had an idea of what it was.

Her memory was a little fuzzy, but the last thing she could remember was getting into a dark van with Louie and Mad Hatter. She'd read stories on Jervis Tetch, and from what she'd gathered he was generally a Alice Adventures in Wonderland fan not The Pit and the Pendulum. But her mind began to work as soon as the fear in her abdomen gripped her heart. Louie's words echoed in her mind: _"__Well, they escaped tagetha, right? Maybe they're in cahoots?"_

Poe was just Crane's style.

Jervis had been known to work with Crane before. It all made sense to her. The Mad Hatter and Scarecrow escaped from Arkham only to split up, have Crane created a distraction aka the ransom, the Hatter capture her, and then they would both meet up. Crane would obviously get what he wanted (he'd been after her ever since the day she'd testified against him) and who knew what Jervis got in return.

Her head hurt, she was hungry, panicked, and was starting to truly fear how close the blade was to her mid-section. _'Four years…'_ She thought. _'…avoiding trains, moving from apartment to apartment, trying to move forward in my career, and generally uprooting my life so he doesn't find me; and it only takes him a week to have me back where he wants me...'_ Becky could have cried at the thought, if the small sliver of light hadn't distracted her.

A shadow broke the light in two and in a heartbeat light flooded the room. It took her several seconds for her eyes to adjust but when they did she was shocked to find out she wasn't lying at all, but rather standing with her arms and legs strapped around a pole with her body only a few inches off the ground. The sound of a pendulum was actually being made by a small speaker hooked on the ceiling a few feet from her head. She almost sighed in relief, _almost._

She stopped breathing all together when she looked back towards the door. There standing in the frame, thin as can be, with his hand still on the light switch was her worst living nightmare: Jonathan Crane. Even though she'd never personally seen him with his mask off she knew it was him. The same sinister smiling face that was looking at her now was the same one she'd seen in multiple police and hospital reports.

Casually he glided over to her, still smiling wickedly, and stopped just a hairs breath from her face. Jonathan's appearance wasn't what you'd expect a Master of Fear to look like; in fact he looked more like her old biochemistry teacher from high school. His eyes were magnified by the wireframe glasses and still had the same blue with a hint of green around his iris and a noticeable glint of madness. Crane also had a five o'clock shadow on his chin and she noticed that he had bitten his lip to the point of it bleeding. His brown hair, which she could have sworn could in the right light look black, was slightly greasy from not being washed and his breath oddly enough smelled like fresh chocolate cake.

"You smell like cake?"

Her first question to him must have sounded odd – even for him – because he looked slightly bewildered. But on the good side he pulled away from her.

"I have an affinity for sweets, _thank you_." It sounded childish. "Interesting. I had thought your first words would have been laced with the delightful screams and pleas for me to let you go."

"Things change."

"Apparently," he moved around her to check the straps that kept her hands and legs wrapped around the pole. "…so tell my dear how have thing been going for you?"

As an afterthough he took of his glasses shined them and put them in his coat pocket. Then Becky watched as he walked away from her to turn off the CD player in the corner of the room; the sound of Poe's pendulum ended.

"F-Fine till I had a run in with your story book friend."

"Oh, you mean Jervis? Did you like him?"

"No."

"_Terse._ Very well…"

She had no idea what he was doing. One moment he was at the opposite side of the room and in three strides he was practically and inch from her nose.

"I'm going to make this short and sweet for you Becky…"

His fingers touched her abdomen and she quickly sucked in her breath. It was a wrong move on her part because in that moment her green eyes locked with his, and Becky knew he'd seen the briefest glimmer of fear.

"_Harooo_…Oh, _this _changes things…"

Becky let the breath she was holding only to hold it once more as his fingers became his palms, and then became his whole hands. She shuttered as he moved his hands up just so the tips of his nails were brushing the underside of her bra. He brought his mouth next to her ear, his eyes trained on her face, and for a moment all he did was breath heavy; as if touching her was actually having an effect on him.

"Tell me _Brave _Becky, why aren't you _fighting_ back?"

She turned her head to face him, he didn't move, which caused her mouth to come uncomfortably close to his.

"You. Don't. Scare. Me."

It was with those four words that she would soon regret saying. Apparently, four words were all it took to completely set Crane off. Jonathan's hands balled into fists pulling her dress tight across her chest and his eyes turned a dark sea green as his face lit up in a frightening display of insanity.

"_I. DON'T. SCARE. YOU?_ DO I? _Fine…_" His yelling went straight to a whisper as his mouth moved dangerously close to her own. "…_let's _see how you fair against Haphepobia _or_…" To punctuate his words he uncurled his hands from her dress and placed them around her neck. In her ear he harshly whispered: "…the _fear_ of being_ touched_."

At his last word both his hands slowly snaked down the front of her chest and Becky bit her lip to stop the scream of horror he'd caused. She tried to calm her breathing but his hands had made their way to the hem. She could feel fear and heat pooling in the lower part of her stomach. Becky hated to admit it but she was actually aroused by what he was doing.

"Or maybe Sarmassophobia …" His hands gingerly touched her thighs. "…the fear of _love__ play_."

Becky's eyes widened, and suddenly she was thrashing to get away or lose from him. But one of his hands, which were surprisingly strong, held her shoulders in place. Jonathan's eyes never left hers as he spread her legs open. He switched so that one arm held her upper body in place as his right hand slid once again down over her chest to the hem of her dress. By this point she wasn't looking at him. Tears stung her eyes as terror metaphorically and literally gripped her. Becky soon felt the cool air of the room hit the small spot of heated skin just below her belly button.

She felt him release her. Opening her eyes she stared at him as he examined her, kneeling on the floor. The look on his face was strange, curious like he'd never done anything like this before. Becky held her breath as she watched his shaking hand move towards her.

Wait.

Shaking?

From her observation, he was. It was like he was afraid. It gave her an idea.

"W-What's the matter Scar-Jonathan? ...Parthenophobia?" He looked up at her.

"Why Becky I didn't know you were a virgin? You're not exactly young either, twenty-five correct? " She paled. "No, _child_. I was simply admiring your candy print panties." The look on his face went smug. "Now where was I? Oh yes…"

Becky went to scream at him but he shot up, his mouth cutting off the sound. She felt stubble on her face, tasted the hint of chocolate on his tongue, heard his moan in her ears, and watched his face contort with pleasure.

She should have bit him.

Becky could have bit his tongue and put him in a real rage, but he was forceful and passionate and by whatever god was listening she'd never been kissed liked that! So it was a little awkward for her when Jonathan pulled away and Becky realized that while he was kissing her, she'd been kissing him back. His gaze was so intense she had to look away. How could a man possibly stare at a woman like that and not have her burst into flame?

Rebecca was so distracted she didn't even feel trail his index finger down her side, feel it lift up her dress, or feel it tug down her panties. What she did feel was when his naughty little digit slipped in between the junction of her thighs. That got small yelp out of her.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOUAhhhhh…you THINK your DOoOoing?" She tried to scream at him.

His answer was to smirk at her and slid in another long finger in and began to rotate the digits. Becky couldn't think anymore let alone scream. Jonathan kissed her again, but this time it was light, almost airy, so that she could smell the sweets on his breath. He brought his other hand up to her head and laced his lithe fingers into her curly hair while pushing her mouth further into his.

Becky's hips bucked when Jon's fingertips slipped over a particular bundle of nerves and her mouth opened to give a small moan in surprise. Jonathan took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, sliding his tongue along her own. She practically melted in his mouth when he slid in a third finger. The digits were so thin, she bet he could fit his whole hand inside of her, and with the way he was building her up she actually wanted him too.

Becky began a rocking motion with Jonathan's hand and she pushed to meet every one of his finger's thrusts. Her hands and legs were starting to wear from the odd position and new strain on her body. Jonathan seemed to notice and untangled his "good" hand to put it around her back, holding her up. He kissed her like the mad man he was -- feverish, quick, and almost to the point of bruising. Becky breathed when she could as his mouth devoured hers.

It seemed to her that it wasn't enough for Jon to just kiss her. At least on the mouth, anyway. In one swift movement, which she figured is what he was good at by now, Jon had unstrapped her from the wall. Before she could even think to use her martial arts, he was on her, with an iron grip on her hips. Jonathan used the same passion as before or maybe even more - to sucked her. Becky's hips jolted upwards at the new sensation and all thoughts of fighting fled her mind. All she could concentrate on was how his tongue flat would lick its way up then compact while he swirled it and sucked up the juices he'd created. She practically screamed when he gently bit down on her clit then sucked it -- sucked her -- to a quivering mass of nerves.

"W-Well Becky, looks l-like you don't h-have Hedonophobia, you seem to love p-pleasure…"

Becky's hips tried to close together as she kept trying to buck into his face to keep him from talking, but Jonathan's hands kept her steady. Crane continued his assault he buried his nose in her and being that he had a rather large nose to begin with only made him have to tighten his grip on her.

Rebecca Albright was beginning to rush to a place she'd never been to.

Her back was arched off the floor, her dress was up around her bra, who knew where her panties were, and she swore by the way he tried to keep control of her hips she would have the bruises to prove it tomorrow. Jonathan stopped for a moment to catch his breath as he looked directly at her. His breath was heavy and she could see his face was slick.

For a moment, she feared he would stop. But his eyes took on a crazy look, because he was the Master of Fear and must have seen or smell it on her. Or he just didn't care and wanted her writhing underneath him again. Either way Becky didn't care. Crane plunged back into her with renewed vigor and air in his lungs. His tongue went deep inside of her and for a moment Becky though she felt him lick her hymen. Jonathan's tongue double backed and went straight for her sensitive bundle of nerves and like an on switch pushed her over the edge of fear & oblivion.

It felt like slow motion when her body fell back to the floor and her legs and hips finally relaxed. Becky could have sworn it was hours that went by while she just laid there, naked from her waist down, staring at the dark ceiling. When she heard the door to the room close and lock did Rebecca pulled down her dress and located her colorful underwear. She laughed for a moment because he hadn't even bothered to take off her socks or shoes.

It was in this moment when she first began to realize her situation.

"I was just given oral sex by the_ Scarecrow…"_

_..._


	4. Gymnophobia

Perverted You

Chapter 4: Fear of nudity.

_~February 2, 2002~_

…

"Oh, shit…"

Crane's heart was pounding; beating like a raven was flapping its wings in his chest. Shame spread through him. How could he have done such a thing? He wanted to scare her and frighten her, not please her! Jon's mind thought back on what he'd done. Haltingly he brought his fingers to his lips. Jonathan could still taste her; he resisted the urge to lick his fingers. Unfortunately, he could feel the bulge still growing in his pants.

Jonathan wanted a drink and he meant the whole bottle and down it with a whole three layer double chocolate cake. But what he really wanted was to steam right back into Becky's room and do every last position he'd seen in the Karma Sutra.

"For the love of Poe, I'm not some childish hormonal teenager! I pasted that stage when I killed Sherri Squires."

But it seemed his ability to love didn't die with his old crush. Jonathan hurriedly went to his restroom and proceeded to splash cold water on his face. All the while his pair of tweed trousers had become unbearably tight.

"I w-will not lower my standards to t-that…" He glared at his face in the mirror. The thin somber looking fellow just glared right back at him.

"_Damn it_…"

Jonathan sat down on the closed toilet seat and fiddled with his pants belt buckle. He wasn't used to this; in fact he hadn't masturbated since he was eighteen. However, a problem this pressing never arose with such a ferocious need before. Other times he could ignore the feeling, but now was certainly not one of them. Pulling back the fabric of his pants Jonathan slowly slid his hand underneath his plaid boxers. He felt silly as he slowly touched himself.

"Good god, this is ridiculous."

But his hand wouldn't listen to his mind when he told it to un-grip himself. Crane swore his hand had a mind of its own. His fist moved up and down, slowly to test his reaction… Crane quivered. Jonathan had forgotten how good it felt to pleasure himself.

He kept getting stiffer as he pushed and pulled his hand along his cock. His grip tightened as his hand picked up some speed. Jonathan's legs were shaking and with his unoccupied arm, tried to hold him his body steady. Sweat started to form on his brow; it felt like he couldn't breathe.

A fluid seemed to pour out of his member's head, lubricating his hand; even though Jon's mental senses were dull he seemed to physically feel everything. The texture of his calloused hand, the ruff fabric of his tweed trousers, the cotton of his boxers, and slight coolness as the air kissed his heated flesh. Jonathan's body began to jerk; his hips moving to meet his hands thrusts.

Then a picture formed in his mind.

It wasn't his hand that was stroking him. It was Becky's. He watched in his mind as her petite painted nails slightly ran up the side of his cock, then with her finger tips smoothed the flesh down.

Jonathan did this for several moments thinking of her cute pink nails and her wonderful slender hands. But what would that cute pink mouth of hers do? Slowly, shaking, he pulled his sticky hand from his boxers. With his clean hand he turned on the sink faucet and ran his lubed hand under the cold water. Pulling his trousers and boxers down to his ankles Jonathan wrapped his cold wet hand around his dick.

"OHhhhhahhhhhuuhhh…"

His head hit the tanks lid as his eyes rolled back into his head. His wet hand enclosed his member and as it slid up and down as the water created a sort of suction. In his mind he could see Becky, bobbing her head to his strokes, her hair masking part of what she was doing. Jonathan picked up his speed, imagining Becky wanting to finish him off.

In his mind, she did.

Jonathan's wet warm hand reached the base of his penis and the pressure caused him to erupt. Hot cum expelled from his weakened organ making it grow limp in his hand; his limbs turned to jelly just like they did when he was trying to escape a small space. Crane sat there partly naked on his toilet, head lolled back, one hand on his thigh, one hand barley holding on to the sink, and his legs spread eagle. He was spent.

"D-damn that… girl…"

He sat there for a while, catching his breath till he stiffly got up and cleaned the mess he'd made. The fluids had landed on the toilet and his pants, of course the area his seed came from needed cleaning as well. Clean and red faced Jonathan wobbly exited his bathroom. For some reason it took him a while to walk straight without overriding his very sensitive nerves.

…

CRANE, J.

…

His shirt and pants were off before the door closed. Putting on his Scarecrow costume Jonathan took his time. The smell of the straw was relaxing, though it also tickled him in spots that made him almost return to the bathroom.

Flopping down on his comfy chair, Jonathan lazily stared at his door. He hadn't felt this relaxed since the 'Bliss' incident. Only this time he wasn't dealing with someone's chemical hallucinogen.

"I'm going to kill Jervis."

It was all the short man's fault.

"If Tetch hadn't put those stupid thought in my head – if he hadn't giving me those god damn books – if the man wasn't such a romantic sap… I should have_ never_ listened to him…"

…

_~June 10, 2000~_

"_**What**__ are you reading?"_

"_Hm? Oh, this?" Jervis held up a copy of "She Comes First: The Thinking Man's Guide to Pleasuring A Woman". Jonathan backed out from the table and toppled over his chair. Getting up with a disgusted face, he pointed at the book._

"_Jervis, put that down! Now!" He said in harsh whisper. Jervis just gave him a funny look._

"_Why?"_

"_Why! Why?" He was still whispering. "Because you idiot t-that book should be burned!"_

"_Ironic coming from a bibliophile." Crane gave him a dirty look. "Jonathan have you ever pleasured a woman?"_

_Just as Jon was about to sit down he missed the seat, landing on his rear. If looks could kill, Tetch thought for sure he'd be dead. Standing up and sitting proper Jonathan scuttled close to the Mad Hatter._

"_Are you mad?"_

"_Were all mad here."_

"_Tetch! Ugh, can't you go five minutes without Carroll?"_

"_Of course I can, I was doing so just a minute ago before you had a conniption."_

"_Well, you do realize that you're reading a dirty book, right?"_

"_Hmm, no, it's more factual actually."_

"_That's. Not. The. Point!"_

"_Huhhh…then what is?"_

"_Why would you read that book?"_

"_So that I won't be a fool on my Honeymoon with Alice." Jonathan face palmed. "You should read up as well, after all you'll never know when the knowledge will come in handy."_

_Crane's face turned an ash white at his friend's words. Instantly his thoughts flew back two years. He was in a subway, the smell of gas fumes, polluted air, and human fluids assaulted his senses. He jumped in front of her and delighted in her scream. The smell of his fear toxin spread around them. He watched as she withered, her body cowering at the power fear had over her mind. Then she stopped moving all together and he got close to her. Soon he was close enough to her face that only an inch separated them from a kiss…_

"_Marchie? Crane, are you ok?"_

"_Y-yes, I'm fine…" Jervis squinted at him._

"_Here…I think you should read this."_

"_Tetch-"_

"_Trust me Jonathan; you'll learn to love this book."_

…

"Bastard."

Jonathan tensely ran his hand along the well worn cover of the book Jervis had given him. It certainly had given him some ideas and had helped him in a way. Who would have ever thought that he was good a cunnilingus? For a moment his pride swelled. He remembered turning the girl to putty with only his tongue and fingers.

"Who knows what else I could do?" Jonathan fingered the cover of the book.

He set the piece of well read literature down only to lazily get up out of his chair. It bugged him when things weren't neat. Grimy was fine, but it had to be somewhat organized, so he went over and picked up his tweed suit.

Instantly he felt his blood heat.

That got his mind going. When was the last time he wore this suit? Thinking back he remembered a job he did by infiltrating a biochemistry lab. That particular day he'd ran into another chemist, Pamela Isley. A.K.A. Poison Ivy. If he remembered correctly, granted that particular meeting was fuzzy, but she'd kissed the inside of his tweed jacket, right about where he'd put his glasses...

"Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, I'll be damned."

Ivy must have infused his suit with some of her lust dust. So it wasn't a wonder that he'd acted the way he did with Rebecca. It also explained why she was being so complacent. With this knowledge in hand and the fact that he's worn the suit made him itch for a shower.

"Hmm, that reminds me…"

…

Angry, ashamed, asinine, and dare she say… afraid. Rebecca tried to calm herself down with a technique she'd learned to do since her first days of kindergarten. Think of as many words that start with the same letter and it will make you feel better. But it wasn't working. Becky was angry that she'd let him do what he did. She was ashamed that she'd enjoyed it. She felt asinine because she could have prevented it. Worst of all… Becky felt afraid that he would do it again.

Unfortunately she also felt anticipation.

"I've got to get out of here."

Her nerves were on edge, so it was hard for her not to move without her body reminding her she felt energized. Not only that but she wanted to finger herself. The bastard in the tweed suit hadn't completely finished what he'd started after he left her. This of course made her feel even worse.

"I should have kicked his scrawny ass…"

But it was hopeless. She gone over the entire room, the only thing he'd left was the tiny amount of rope that was used to tie her up with. The CD player he must have remembered to take with him. Becky went over to inspect the door one more time.

She should feel violated, disgusted, and terrified. To a point she did, but four years of her life was spent with Crane as the center of her universe. The more she learned about him the more she began to forgive him for what he'd done to her. Sure she wanted to put him behind bars, make him suffer, but she understood where he was coming from.

He'd been teased and tormented growing up, raised by a religious fanatic who locked him in an aviary where crows would come to peck at him. By high school he was a social outcast, which only slightly improved when he got to college. As a teacher he was both feared and mocked; being fired must have been his last straw, excuse the pun. Becky had read that even his criminal career was less than successful. Most of his ventures left him humiliated and defeated.

It was no wonder he was the way he was.

"He was right I guess… it is a rational response to what he went through."

Becky also began to realize that she'd become so obsessed with him she was begining to overlook some of his flaws... That didn't mean he had to bring her into his little psychotic world. At first she figured he was just after her because they had a similar past. Now, after what he'd recently done… it was becoming sexual.

"Great, just great, I have a super-villain who's got the hots for me."

Jonathan had passion, proven by the way he kissed her. Becky had never been assaulted like that, granted she'd only ever been assaulted by Jonathan, but this time it was in a pleasant way. The most she'd ever made it with a guy was some bad French kissing, so it was safe to say Crane had one up on her past two ex-boyfriends. The way he acted around her, Becky was sure he'd captured her for more than just revenge. Though she'd never admit it out loud she'd enjoyed the attention Crane gave to her.

"If only he wasn't a wanted criminal and a complete psychopath…"

Becky went over and leaned against the pole she'd been tied to and figured she'd been messing in her "room" for around a good two hours. Her stomach grumbled and she desperate for a shower. Her mind was a confused mess, and standing was giving her a cramp.

Becky went to sit down, but her arm jerked instead.

Becky looked down at her limb. Confused, she touched her elbow and her body pushed forward. Frightened, she could feel her legs and arms stiffening as she stood stock straight, slowly her conscious left her. Panicked, she remembered she was still wearing one of the Mad Hatters mind control cards in her hair.

Her body of its own accord moved for the door, there was a buzzing sound and it opened for her. Becky looked at what surroundings she could, before she turned to face a door that had in big bold black print on a golden plack that read: BATHROOM. Perplexed her body walked towards it, there was another buzzing sound, and she entered the small darkly lit room. A light turned on by itself.

Becky turned her head to the ceiling.

"I can move…"

Quickly she turned around and scanned everything. Everything was grey or some shade of grey; the shower, the toilet, the sink, the small counter top, everything. There was a bag on the counter along with a small towel and a tiny bar of soap. She could tell that a man had been using this bathroom because of the obvious: he toilet lid was up & there were shavings in the sink. She shuttered knowing Crane had been using the restroom.

Then there was a knock on the door.

"Be-cky…" He said in a sing-song voice. "I _know_ you're in there…"

"Fuck off, Crane!" She yelled at him. After a pause she heard a chilling muffled laughter come from the other side of the door.

"Heh… already have." Becky backed away from his muffled voice as her heart shot up into her throat. "But that's not why I'm here. I figured that after our *cough* previous get together that you'd like a shower or a hot bath." He paused. "Though I can imagine why you might feel… _dirty_."

Becky made a face at the door. She wanted to throw something at the smug bastard.

"Come to the door."

"No."

"…Come. To. The. _Door_."

"I said, _NO_!"

"Fine, then…"

Becky fell her muscles stiffen, then relax. She watched in horror as her hands moved to the hem of her dress. It came off in one fluid motion and in the back of her mind she wondered where her jacket had went. With every piece of cloth removed her hand would touch her in a way she knew Crane was thinking of. After all, why would she run her hand all the way down her leg just to pull off a sock? When her shoe and socks were gone the next clothing articles to go were her undergarments. Her face was red when her hands touched her chest and her fingers skimmed along the hem of her panties. Finished she folded the cloths putting her shoes on top of the pile.

Slim scare covered legs moved to the door. Naked with all of her garments in hand the door cracked open. A gloved hand reached in to which she put her clothing and shoes on the uptruned palm. The door closed as he took her belongings.

"There's a change of clothes and a towel on the counter along with a bar of soap for you to use. I wouldn't suggest eating the soap because the toxins are only activated when ingested. You have exactly an hour before that little mind control chip makes you leave the bathroom. Oh, don't think about taking that out either, it will kill you, instantly. You can thank Jervis for that one."

Becky's consciousness was returned just as her knees buckled; she fell to the floor. Sitting there on the bathrooms small grey rug she wondered what to do and how to get out of her new situation. Her eyes locked on to the bar of soap.

Death over Scarecrow?

She picked up the bar.

"I won't let him get to me again."

She set it back down.

It was her mantra. Becky took a long hot shower, minus the soap, and didn't think about the mind control chip that was infused with the side of her forehead. She also didn't think of what was in the bag Scarecrow had left for her. The towel Crane had left her only covered up a tiny portion of her body. Frustrated with Crane's cleverness or perverted-ness, she opened her bag to see her new change of attire.

The bag fell to the floor.

In her hand was a mask, a very familiar mask. It was the same mask he'd tried to force her into over four years ago. Looking down she could tell that the rest of the costume was there as well.

"Be-cky?" She jumped and the mask fell to the floor.

"Go to hell, Crane. I'm not wearing that god-awful costume!"

"Very well, then you can just have lunch with me in that little towel… or perhaps you'd prefer your birthday suit?" A chunk of lead formed in her stomach as he gave a dark chuckle. "I know I would love to see either... but I digress." A pause. "You have five minutes. I'd make up your mind and I'd do it quickly."

Becky looked at the bag; she didn't have a choice…


	5. Philematophobia

Perverted You

Chapter 5: Fear of kissing.

_~February 2, 2002~_

…

"_Breathtaking_."

Scarecrow's eyes shown from behind his mask as he took in his Mistress. The costume he'd made for her years ago fit her body perfectly. His mouth watered as he seen just how well she filled out the corset. Scarecrow and his Mistress of Fear looked like the perfect costumed pair. She was being controlled; forced to take his gloved hand. In Becky's mind the outfit reveled too much of her front and the straw hair had began to make her itchy.

"So my Mistress, what do you think?" Becky felt her free will come back to her.

"I think you found the material in a garbage can." She growled out as she tried to squeeze the life out of his hand, it didn't work.

"I did. But…" He got close to her face. "…what do you think of the _design_?"

"That only _perverted you_ would think up such a conflicting costume." He laughed a soft chuckle that sent a shiver down her spine as he moved away from her.

"Come, you must be hungry."

She didn't say anything, not because she couldn't, but because she was so disgusted with the situation. Her body moved all on its own down the hall with her arm linked with his. It felt as if her mind was working in overdrive as she tried to take in everything at once. The corridor wasn't long and she could barely walk down it without bending her head. Crane seemed to have no problem walking with a bend in his stride since they reached the door with the gold plack that read KITCHEN in no time.

Jonathan opened the door and led her inside. The kitchen, unlike the rest of his lair, was grime free. It was a spotless white environment that reminded Becky of a hospital. He sat her at a stool in front of his counter and stove.

"So what would you like?"

She glared at him from behind her mask.

"Eggs it is!"

Rebecca just frowned; she was wondering if it was the same man that had tried to instill fear and panic in Gotham. Becky must have been in shock since it was the only reason an insane criminal, one of Batman's rouges, had donned a patched up apron, took off his gloves and hat, and began cooking right in front of her.

"Eggs are the only things I can make that are… eatable. If Jervis was here he could make something better, but…" Crane fidgeted tiring to crack an egg accidentally allowing some of the shell to fall into the frying pan. "… I mean he's better at cooking, but I'm pretty good at baking. I'm really good at making cakes."

Bewildered all Becky could do was watch the situation. What the hell was he doing? What was going on? Why was he being so… normal? She tried to move her body and got nothing. Stuck, she realized she'd have to resort to short conversation. Hopefully she could get herself out of this weird mess.

"So you're saying you can't cook? But I thought you were a chemist?" Jonathan's head shot up in her direction, for a moment she wondered if she'd done something wrong, but there was a strange glint in his eyes that shown through his mask.

"You'd be surprised how different the two are." He paused and looked down at his triangle egg and though she couldn't see it, frowned. "Chemicals entertain and don't need much tending to. Cooking on the other hand…" (Sigh) "…needs constant surveillance."

"That's not true."

"Heh… Trust me it is true." Crane flipped the egg.

"No, it's not."

"Very well, validate your point, Miss Albright." He waved the spatula in her direction and Becky had the oddest feeling; like she was back in her law class.

"Ok," She looked around the kitchen, not noticing she had moved, and spotted a cereal box. " …Can you pour cereal?"

"Yes." He gave her a dull look and crossed his arms.

"Then you can cook." She straightened in her chair and glared at him, daring him to challenge her. He laughed and flipped her odd shaped egg onto a plate. "Besides you said yourself that you can bake and that's a form of cooking."

"I suppose that's true…" He laughed once again. "…my, my, what a _frightfully_ delightful conversation were having."

Becky felt uncomfortable under his gaze and wondered what was so delightful about what they've been talking about. Then it hit her. They had a normal conversation, neither was afraid of one another, and they both agreed on something. Glad that the mask was hiding her blush she watched as he cleaned up his utensils and brought her a fork.

"I'm going to let you eat, just don't get any harmful ideas, or I'll have to think of a way to… punish you."

A chill spread through her at his words. The way he said it made his idea of punishment sound like something he'd enjoy; the question was would she enjoy it? Becky's face got hot as she remembered their earlier morning together. His hands… His mouth…

Becky shook her head and tried to concentrate on eating. It was then that she realized Crane was right. He couldn't cook. The eggs were watery on one side and charred on the other. With her first bite she got a piece of egg shell and the dish was terribly bland. No wonder the man was so thin; he probably couldn't stand to eat his own cooking.

"H-how do you like it?"

"Honestly…" Jon sat up straighter and shook his head yes. Becky just sighed, after all this could get her 'punished'. "…they suck." Crane seemed to deflate at her comment. Luckily, he didn't show signs of being hostel.

"Cereal?" Crane took off his apron as he waited for her response.

"Um… yeah."

Perking up, Jonathan went to a cabinet and got out two bowls, and at the same time his one leg opened the refrigerator and produced the milk. Without missing a beat he spun around and located three kinds of cereal and two spoons. He did this all in such a fluid motion Becky wondered how someone so graceful could be so deadly.

"Your choices are Sugar Flakes, Marshmallow Puffs, or Coco-Chunks." She laughed.

"What? What's so funny?"

"Do you have anything that doesn't have a sugar count over 80 grams?" Crane just rolled his eyes.

"No." But he began let out another short chuckle. He hadn't laughed this much in a long while.

At that he poured her a bowl of Coco-Chunks and himself Marshmallow Puffs. Becky couldn't find what was more disturbing about the situation. The fact that it was both normal and terribly surreal, or the fact that they were getting along, or the fact that Crane could eat rainbow shaped cereal though his mask.

The latter was actually kind of cute, but when she tried to copy him the stitching over her masks mouth kept getting in the way, and she ended up spilling milk on the floor. Frustrated she contemplated just taking the mask off. But then she realized the straps holding the front of the costume up would present an even bigger problem. Rebecca blushed at the thought, accidentally flashing the Scarecrow was one thing she didn't want to do at the moment.

Instead she became curious as to how he ate. Crane was on his second bowl of marshmallow puffs and she hadn't even finished half of her first. It was interesting how he was able to maneuver the spoon through his masks own stitching without spilling any cereal or a drop of milk.

"How do you _do_ that?"

"Do what?" Crane stopped consuming his cereal for a moment.

"Eat with that annoying mask on?" Though she couldn't see it, he smiled at her.

"Practice." It was Becky's turn to roll her eyes.

The rest of their meal was eaten in awkward silence. When they finished Crane disposed of the dishes and silverware in the sink, put his gloves and hat back on, and once again took her arm in his. Becky was silent, busy contemplating his change in attitude, as he led her to a room entitled: LABORATORY.

"Why are you taking me here?"

"Well, since you shown such an interest in one of my hobbies, I decide to show you some of it."

Jon opened the door to a small laboratory that looked as if it had come from a horror film. Beakers and bottles covered the shelves; some were spewing a strange colored fog. Most were idle, sitting and waiting for their master to return to them. Becky felt her move closer to her captor, she understood the reason why. Her dress, which she was sure could pass as a spray painted garbage bag, had almost tipped one of his experiments over.

"Hmm… I may have to modify your outfit for in-house use. I can't have you knocking over my latest batch of fear gas, now can I?"

Becky didn't say anything because she was too worried about the liquids that surrounded her. She didn't even notice her arms wrap themselves around Crane's thin torso. Jonathan was enjoying her reaction.

"Amazing what the power of fear can do, isn't it?" Becky's attention was brought back to him. "Are you scared that I'll test one of these substances on you, my little mouse?"

Becky's eyes lit up in horror as she remembered the last time she'd come into contact with Crane's fear toxin. She couldn't take that again. Her mind began worrying. Why she was here and what was the point? Sure she'd become somewhat of a good lawyer over the past years but she was still just an ordinary girl. There was no reason for him to be obsessed over her!

He watched as she broke down in front of him. Jon could feel her body shaking as he watched horror work its magic over his Mistress's mind. But her fear wasn't as delicious as he thought it would be. Like before in the subway, a set of different emotions emerged and he felt anger and disgust at her reaction.

Rebecca Dorothy Albright, his Mistress of Fear, no, his Goddess of Fear shouldn't be afraid of something as micro as fear gas. No, she shouldn't need to fear anything. Not her past, not the fear toxin, and certainly not HIM.

"Don't worry, Becky. You're higher than that. You should have no need to fear this. It is like you told me, I don't scare you, and so this shouldn't either. The things you fear the most are known to you. _Never_ hide from them."

She looked at him with tears forming on her eyes, and for once in his life Jonathan felt a pain in his chest. It was his heart. He was starting to care for this girl. Briefly he wondered when that began to happened, and oddly enough it frightened him.

"W-What do you m-mean?" He looked straight into her swollen eyes.

"Fear, Becky. If I am the Master you are the Mistress. If I am the God you are the…" Another look of horror and disbelief crossed her face at his words.

"You c-can't be serious? I-I'm no Goddess! Ha, just – just look at me!"

Jonathan watched as she became hysterical. He'd given her control back awhile ago yet she still clung to him, crying behind her mask. She wept on him as he set them both down on the floor. In the past 24 hours he'd put her through a lot and the combined stress was being released. As a doctor at Arkham he'd seen this before in widows and grievers. To him, the old weaker part of Becky was dying, and she was grieving over that loss. But he could see it; Jonathan could see the new Becky, his Goddess emerging from the ashes of her broken soul.

Gently he rocked them both back and forth with her head on his chest. She whispered things about him, about herself, and about the people who abused her. She kept asking: why her? Didn't he know what her legs looked like? Did he understand that she wasn't perfect? But he didn't answer just yet and waited for her to calm down.

"There, better? Of course, all women need a break down every now and then." A hiccuped laugh escaped her. "I picked you because you're strong; you were never truly afraid, even when I threatened to take your life. Like me you have a unique body design, one that I might add is beautiful. Why else would I lust after it? And have you seen my legs? I walk on toothpicks."

Becky began a whole new fit of tears at his word and her mask was starting to become damp. Crane was becoming frustrated; he didn't want her to cry anymore. His Goddess should never cry.

"Now, now stop crying, I think you're perfect. You have a strong stubborn personality and a body I'm having a hard time not touching. You're perfect for me, Becky. Just look at how well our body's fit together."

Becky lifted her head to stare up at him. She was blushing from his words but he did have a point. Her body seemed to fit the hard angles of his and she was proportioned so that his long limbs didn't seem so awkward when wrapped around her own. It didn't even occur to her that she was being comforted by an anti-social homicidal madman at the time, because in her state of mind it just felt nice to be told such flattering things.

"I-if you ate more than sugar you wouldn't be such a toothpick." He made a silly gesture at her with his eyes and she gave another hiccuped laugh. "Y-you noticed me and took interest in me? Why? Why didn't you act like the rest of them?"

Crane leaned back and took a deep breath. Becky was straddling him so he was having some trouble concentrating but he was determined to set this girl straight. She needed to see that she was beyond all of her petty fears.

"At first I – I was humiliated and angry at you. But then you impressed me by concurring a fear that I myself almost couldn't. I realized we had a common goal, a common past. It's hard for me to take rejection and over these recent four years I've been in some rather… testing situations."

Becky gave him a confused look; she was sure in her mind that this monster couldn't have been human. But as it turned out Crane seemed to have a heart. She began to think over her own past four years. All the studying, the training, the obsessing over him. Trying to find a way to make his life as miserable as he made hers. Only here he was, already miserable and trying to cheer her up. It was ironic.

"After my incident with you I took several jobs. One was with the Penguin, one of the men you put away I believe?" He looked down at her then quickly away. "A-anyway, there was a woman that I met while working for him named Linda. She used me, tricked me into being her _lab-rat_."

Slowly, Becky's thoughts were changing. She'd remembered reading all the horrible things he'd done and heard stories about all the people he'd killed. Yet, she'd also read about all the evil that was done to him. The worst thing was that she could relate to most of it. A family that did more wrong than good, a friendless childhood, and a career that made your life seem like everything and nothing at the same time. Perhaps, Crane wasn't as bad and fearful as he made himself look?

"She feed me lies and for a time I – I forgot about you… I b-began to soften to another, but I should have known not to trust… but she made me feel…" He stopped and looked back at his captive. "I-it doesn't matter anymore. You see Becky… I've been the betrayed and the betrayer for too long. I have to admit I had every intention of bringing you here for revenge. However, you must understa-"

Crane didn't finish. It seemed that his truthful words had worked the impossible. Becky was kissing him; her arms were wrapped around his neck pushing his masked lips into hers. But he was confused and weary so he made her pull away.

"I t-thought you hated me?"

She wanted to say that she did, but the feeling that bubbled up wasn't hate. Nor was it pity. For the first time since she'd met him, Becky felt equal to her Scarecrow. For so long she'd been telling herself, denying the fact that she might for the slightest of moments, like him. But in reality she'd dug her own hole and found herself falling.

Perhaps he'd brainwashed her or maybe she'd done so herself. Rebecca knew she was somehow in love with Jonathan Isaac Crane. This information shocked her and strangely enough didn't frighten her at all. Granted she didn't like his choice of occupation, but Becky was finally beginning to understand the man behind the fear.

"Things change…"

She heard him suck in a breath; he must have recognized it as the same words she'd said earlier that morning. Becky became shy all of a sudden at his piercing stare.

"S-so you really like the way I l-look?"

A sinister smile spread across Crane's covered face.

"Babe, let me _show_ you…"


	6. Melophobia

Perverted You

Chapter 6: Fear of music.

_~February 2, 2002~_

…

To be honest, she didn't expect him to pick her up the way he did. Actually she hadn't realized just how strong he was till he lifted her effortlessly off the floor of his lab. But it excited her and the way his lips ghosted over her shoulder pushed her thoughts out of her mind.

Crane had carried her just outside of the door when lost his grip on her and Becky pushed him up against the one wall. Her masked lips where on his once more as Jonathan wrapped his arms around her waist. It seemed to Becky that the closer she got to his chest the more her body wanted his.

The lone thought was only shoved to the back of her mind when she became frustrated when her mask once again got in the way. Not caring for the consequences she forcefully pulled the mask off of her head simultaneously ripping it off the top of her corset. Jonathan stopped moving, shocked at her antics, and before he could react she had his mask on the floor as well.

Jonathan was in heaven. His Mistresses held his stubble face in between both her hands as her mouth plundered his. Becky's small body was pushing up on his in such a wonderful way that the guilty feeling he'd had was starting to fade away. Deciding not to be out done he brought his hands around to Becky's front and slid them up to the top of her corset. Already the dress was starting to slip. Not to mention the bra part, which was held up by Becky's mask, had fallen forward slightly allowing him access to her chest.

When his gloved hands touched her soft chest her closed eyes opened as she threw her head back at the sensation. It gave Jon a beautiful view of her breasts but it was short lived because Becky brought her mouth back onto his in with enthusiasm. Now it was Jonathan who was having a hard time concentrating.

Becky didn't know what was wrong with her body, or why she was acting this way, or why Crane was wearing nose plugs. All she knew was that her body needed to be close to his. She brought her hands down, sliding them over his lithe chest, to his rope belt. Mean while her mouth started to kiss a trail down his jaw to his neck.

There was a scent that was coming off of him, she could tell, because as her face got closer to his chest her body seemed to want his more. Crane's hands had moved from her chest to her shoulders as he breathed heavily into her hair and occasionally kissed her own neck.

Becky's mouth kissed its way down to his collar and her hands stopped trying to untie his belt. Instead moved her head away from the delightful scent coming from his stitched up shirt and tore it open. She was expecting to see his chest or some sort of undershirt; not his tweed brown jacket that he'd been wearing earlier that morning.

Suddenly she was shoved away from him. To her it didn't matter, she just wanted the article of clothing off of him, but she curiously looked up at Crane anyway. His face held a look of horror and briefly she had a moment of clear thought.

"Go to your room."

"But-"

"NOW!!"

Jonathan pushed her away from him but since she was being controlled her body didn't catch itself. Becky hit the wall and slid to the floor. As she blankly got up she heard Crane's footsteps swiftly walk down the hall. A door opened and slammed shut as she made it to her door. Once inside she heard it automatically lock.

Becky's consciousness came back in full force, bringing her to her knees. Tears slid down her face as she realized what was going on. Poison Ivy, of course. How could she not have known? Becky had been the prosecuting lawyer in the case of Pamela Isley verses Joe Cooler. She's sentenced the woman to 15 years at Arkham for using illegal drugs, aka love dust, to get Cooler to comply with her to set loose dangerous plant spores onto Gotham's citizens.

It was one of Becky's career defining cases.

Poison Ivy was one of Batman's "Rouges", as was Crane, so if the Mad Hatter was working with Jonathan why not Poison Ivy as well? It would explain why whenever Jon was near she would physically want him. The pheromones combined with his comforting words must have, for the moment, warped her judgment.

"I can't believe I let him k-kiss me… and I… and I kissed him back!"

Crying once again, Becky's hands curled into her hair as she lay down on the straw filled mattress in the corner of the room. She didn't know how it got there, or the dresser in the other corner, and she had no idea what time it was but she knew that if she dwelt on these thoughts any longer she'd do something drastic. So curling up into a ball with her hands still cradling her head Becky willed herself to sleep.

…

It was the worst idea he'd ever had. Even worst then the time he'd tried to go straight and failed because Molly came crying to him. What was it about a woman's tears that made him loose his senses? To believe that he'd actually sunk so low as to use his tainted love dusted jacket to get Becky into his arms. Was it too much to have a woman to come to him willingly? Hell he could list them: Sherri, Pamela, Selena, Harley, Molly, Linda…

"I guess I should just add Becky… she'll never want me." His shoulders slumped.

"_DAMN IT!"_ He pulled his nose plugs off and felt his body temperature rise.

Enraged, Crane ended up throwing a tantrum as he destroyed whatever was in front of him. His legs moved in sweeping circles as his self taught versions of drunken boxing and the Crane Kung Fu pummeled his second rate furniture. Picking up the book Jervis had given him he threw it into his mirror. The crash awoke him from his anger. Gingerly he walked over to the broken shards of mirror. A mask-less Scarecrow stared back at him in million broken pieces. Jon noticed his ripped shirt; quickly he turned away from the reflections.

"How can I face her if I can't even face _myself_?" Exhausted Jonathan flopped down into his comfy chair and stared at the door. "What's so scary about her finding that out anyway…?"

Jonathan sat there, pondering his words. He was tired of being alone. Finding Becky, realizing that they'd had a similar tormented past, had made him realize how much he looked forward to having a companion; not only in crime, but in a romantic sense as well.

"I fear she'll reject me, _again_…" The realization left him feeling hollow, like a scarecrow without its stuffing.

"Huh… Now what am I going to do?"

He couldn't go back to his original plan, which never got started, where he was going to get his revenge on her. But _nooooo_, his feelings and libido had to get in the way with that. Jonathan knew avoiding her would be hard to do since she depended on him, that and his modified version of Jervis's control band was giving him a headache. He had to think of a plan.

"_Harooo_, this is worst than fighting the Bat..."

…

_~February 3, 2002~_

..._  
_

Waking up Rebecca realize a mistake she'd made the night prior. She'd fallen asleep in the worst possible position with the worst possible clothes to have on. Not to mention that a straw stuffed mattress wasn't the most comfortable thing to sleep on. So getting up was painful with so many stiff muscles.

Looking around she noticed a few things had changed in her white walled room. Besides the bed there was a dresser in the opposite corner with a wash bowl on top and a small towel. Next to the dresser was a small bookshelf, stocked. Turning, she looked at the nightstand that was placed next to her bed. A small jewelry box sat on top of it.

Curious she opened it.

Her heart jumped into her throat. Inside lay an assortment of jewelry to make Cat Woman swoon. Her fingers glided over the emeralds and diamonds only to stop on a necklace that wasn't quite like the rest. It was a locket, a heart shaped locket. It didn't look new like the rest of the jewelry, in fact it was tarnished and beaten up. Turning it over in her hands she read the letters etched into the back: KK & GC.

"Interesting…"

Without thinking she tied the trinket around her neck. It was then that she noticed her "girls" were exposed, blushing Becky tried to cover herself. Moving over to her dresser she opened the first drawer and her blush darkened. It was filled with panties, some of which had cute prints on them. She moved to another drawer and found what she was looking for.

"I don't even want to know how Crane found out my bra size…"

Quickly she changed into her new underwear. Pulling out the rest of the drawers she found other clothes: shirts, skirts, pants, dresses, and pajamas. All of them were hand stitched and had interesting designs. A couple shirt and skirts were too lewd for her tastes, but Becky was fine with wearing a patched up shirt and skirt.

Picking up her Mistress of Fear costume she folded it and put it on the dresser. Granted she despised the costume, for some reason she couldn't bring herself to try and destroy it. Becky washed her face and walked over to the door. A pair of sandals and a cane was propped up next to it; Becky put on the sandals and inspected the cane. The cane was hollow but sturdy, it would break she figured if she tried to fight with it.

"The man thinks of everything."

Her hands tried the door knob.

Nothing.

Becky expected as much. But the day went on with no word from her captor. Even when she was being controlled to go out and eat or to the bathroom, she didn't see him. When she was summoned for her meals everything was set up: a large helping of whatever Crane had tried to cook and a pitcher of juice and water. Returning to her room the second time she noticed a note on her bed.

_Dear Miss Albright,_

_If you need to use the restroom please push the call button I've installed next to the door. It will be used only for this purpose; I __**will**__ take it away if it's misused._

_Signed,_

_The Scarecrow_

"What did I do to deserve this?" So now she was his captive and he didn't even want to confront her; it made no sense.

Becky realized she should be joyful that he no longer wanted to physically speak to her. However, after what she thought was a week of nothing but books and her own thoughts for company she began to go stir crazy. Crane did everything for her: laundry, cooking, cleaning; he was controlling every part of her life.

On what she supposed was her eighth day in her room Becky began to play around with the card that was on her head. If she could only get it off she could get out of this hell, but the fear of death loomed in the back of her mind.

"Damn you, Jonathan…"

Becky figured it was some sort of scare-therapy. The man truly was a master of his profession. In the span of eight days she seemed to think of nothing but him; it wasn't as if she hadn't thought of him enough since they'd last met.

She'd used him as an example in her doctorate for her law degree. He was the driving force behind her first year as a lawyer; she'd personally targeted and helped all of his victims. Crane was her home project, with an entire room dedicated to his incarnation into a real prison. He was the man who made her pursue a degree in specialized psychology in fear on the side as she furthered her career. He was the man who had her take and teaches several self-defense classes. He was the man who made her look up old high-school bullies and her father. Jonathan was the man who pushed her to put away the other rouges because they caused the same sort of trauma, which led her to read Lewis Carroll, tend to plants, look into cryogenic freezing, and buy an assortment of joke books. He was the man who drove her to stay late hours at the police station researching him, making her peruse a job as a District Attorney so she could finally put him away for life...

The Scarecrow had shaped Becky into the woman she was today. The thought stunned her. Briefly she wondered how Crane could have affected her in such a way.

Then she remembered the look he had the night he offered her a chance to be his Mistress of Fear. His eyes were hopeful and she'd shot him down. Yet he still pursued her? This led Becky to think back to the first day he'd brought her here. The uncontrolled passion as he stimulated her body, the fact that he couldn't cook, the cute way that he ate, the way he seemed to actually see her as some sort of Goddess.

Could she actually… be in love with him?

It wasn't like she didn't know anything about him. Becky knew most of his crimes, and his family history. She was sure he'd found information on her as well.

"What am I thinking?" She smacked her head.

She should hate Crane. The man killed her dog, stalked her, assaulted her, caused numerous psychological problems for her, kidnapped her, and sexually assaulted her! Not to mention he was a wanted criminal in a good four countries and a handful of dimensions besides this one. Crane was unstable, violent, prone to obsessive behavior, and legally classified insane.

But the Joker was a lot worst… and that girl, Harley, made it work...

"Ugh!!! All this thinking is giving me a headache. I think… I need to splash some water on my face."

Walking over to her dresser she noticed the bowl was gone. Confused, Becky went over and pushed the button Crane installed for her bathroom privileges. Instantly she felt her conscious leave her as her body walked to the bathroom. Once inside the grey bathroom she turned on the faucet and dowsed her face with cold water.

Looking up Becky noticed herself in the mirror. The young woman she saw had dark circles under her eyes and her auburn hair was a wild untied mess; but the woman's green eyes seemed to glow. Becky looked away unable to stare at the stranger in the mirror. Picking up a brush she began to comb her hair; it would be dinner soon.

"Oww!" The brush had snagged a knot in her hair.

Untangling the brush, Becky began to work on the knot. After fighting with it for five minutes she decided to just try and pull it out. But the knot wasn't the only thing she managed to get off of her head.

Becky stood horror struck at the 10/6 card that was lying on the floor.

Another five minutes went by and she was still standing.

Alive.

"What the fuck?" She was happy she wasn't dead but that meant Crane had lied to her.

"Why does that piss me off?"

Confused and happy all at once she just started to laugh at her good luck, but then her thoughts turned serious. She could work on getting out of here and with Crane nowhere to be seen Becky could slip right under that huge nose of his.

Quietly she pressed her ear to the bathroom door and she heard the faint sound of music. That was odd; she hadn't heard any music coming into the bathroom. Becky figured now was her chance so she pressed the button that would send her back to her room. The music stopped playing. The door opened and Becky was still in control of her body.

Overjoyed that she had her mind back Becky slowly walked out the door. Cautious of her surroundings she pressed herself against the wall. The bathroom door closed, making her jump slightly, but not a sound slipped out of her. Becky watched as her bedroom door opened and closed.

Becky began to make her way down the hall, passing a couple doors along her way. She didn't want to try any of them just in case Crane might be behind one of them. She wasn't two feet away from the bathroom when she heard the music pick up again. Curious once again she slid over to the door marked TRAINING. It was open, and she could clearly hear the ending of an unrecognizable classic playing. Feeling brave she moved to get a better look at the inside of the room.

What she saw, shocked her…

…


	7. Alethophobia

Perverted You

Chapter 7: Fear of the truth.

…

_~February 10, 2002~_

Inspecting a crime scene wasn't always fun. In fact for Batman it was never fun. Fun was the worst word for his type of work. He never understood Jervis Tetch, the self proclaimed Mad Hatter, nor did he understand the man's strange obsession. But he understood the way Jervis worked, and this wasn't what he was used too.

Batman lifted one of the chipped pieces of china from the table and poured out the foul liquid onto the floor. The table held four people. Everyone was dressed in classic Alice in Wonderland fashion: the Walrus, the carpenter, Alice, and Billy the Lizard.

The disturbing part was that the Red Queen seemed to have made her rounds; all four were decapitated. That wasn't the only thing, the tips of all their fingers were sliced off with a butter knife, but the worst part was that forensics told him the captives were still alive when this had taken place.

It churned his stomach.

Normally, Jervis wasn't this brutal with his killings. He was a type of man that didn't prefer to get his hands dirty, but the room was painted in blood, and it hadn't come from any of the victims. It was cat's blood; probably a reference to the Cheshire Cat. The heads were missing, but their IDs told him that they were the missing District Attorney candidates: Louie Blunt & Rebecca Albright. The other two were the usual hired thugs, Rick Bosket & Mark Kelvin.

But something stuck out in his mind: Albright.

The name rang a bell. Batman looked back down at the blood smudged ID card. Yes, he remembered Becky Albright. She was a witness in one of Scarecrow's trials a few years back. She'd testified against him twice.

Thinking of which, Crane was still on the loose.

Batman looked around the blood covered crime scene once more. The heads were missing: no dental check. The bodies were drained: no blood. The fingers were missing: no prints. It was as if Jervis was trying to set up a crime scene where he couldn't identify the bodies, yet he'd left behind their belongings. Plus, why would Jervis kidnap two DA's? It didn't fit… none of this fit Jervis's usual M.O.

It was starting to worry him.

For some reason his mind was led back to Crane. The Scarecrow had made a previous threat on the town, using fear and demanding money. The usual for the ex-psychologist, but unlike all his other schemes he didn't deliver and never picked up the ransom. This meant two things. One: it wasn't the Scarecrow who wrote the ransom and he was dealing with a new psychopath. Or two: Jonathan Crane was up to something much more sinister than he'd originally planned for Gotham.

Batman looked down at the body of Becky Albright. Her dress used to be a light checkered blue until the foreign blood and tea stained it. The last time he'd seen Becky she'd been walking with a cane. So there was one sure way he could prove his theory...

…

_~February 12, 2002~_

The classical music died down and Becky watched as her captor slowed to a halt. Crane's long arms and legs began to flex as he warmed up his sweat covered body. He wasn't wearing a shirt or his mask, and his hair was matted to his head.

He was tall and lean with it, not an inch of fat to spare on the sparse muscle that was exposed. Becky noticed how pale he was, almost to the point of him having a grey hue. Her eyes widened as he flexed, bending over backwards and practically turned his body into a pretzel.

It was slightly scary to watch, yet she found herself believing it was incredibly erotic. Crane's lithe form contracted his abs, and shot his hips forward, in that brief moment Becky could've imagined herself in a similar position…

What the hell was she thinking?

Getting ready to turn and look for a way out while her "master" was busy, she heard something that really shocked her. It was a song, but not the kind she'd expect Crane to listen too…

_Every time I end up breaking you,_

_You change into… something worth keeping._

_Every time I'm close to saving you,_

_You grow into… a sin worth believing._

_Your everything I ever wanted but,_

_It's never enough… you're never enough._

_I'll take, whatever I can take, whenever I can take it,_

_If it ever comes…_

His body began to move to the beat of the song as he brought his right leg up and lowering himself to the ground on the other as he swiped it across the floor in a circle. Slowly, as the circle was complete he began to stand up, doing a complete 360 kick.

Then his eyes closed and his body seemed to fall apart, collapsing into itself, and as his back hit the floor as his body turned, twisting, changing the fall into an attack. It was then that his movements became odd, and his face scrunched up, like he'd just sucked on a lemon.

Crane's graceful dancing became a rush of fury. His legs went wild, his arms circled; his body balanced its self in a torment of anger and swinging limbs. Becky watched as he did a flip that would have surly broke a normal man's back if he'd landed that way. It was horrifying, but she couldn't look away.

_I hate you when you're gone,_

_I hate you turn me on,_

_I hate the way I need you when I don't know where you are…_

_I love it even more, when I find you on the floor._

_I know you think you hate me but I will always hate you more…_

Becky let the words of the music get to her. She wondered why he would play something like it. The song didn't seem to fit his style or personality at all. Then again, it fit his mood perfectly…

Watching him was like looking at a tragedy in motion; it was the sort of play you'd expect from a God. Crane would dance and fight as he moved through his life's acquired techniques. He'd been put to the test as his plans crumbled beneath him; to which there was no one to comfort him. He was stuck on his pole's hook forever standing, propped up in the same place, same cornfield, and all he needed was someone to help him down…

_I never knew until I got a taste,_

_What a waste… for what I had been through._

_Cause nothing ever really makes that change,_

_I'm so ashamed… of what I did to you._

_I had to let you in to feel that rush,_

_You were too much, way too much._

_I'll take, whatever I can take, whenever I can take it,_

_If it ever comes…_

His movements slowed, his anger calmed with the song, and his movements began to get more precise. Soon he was off into specific moves, practicing a series of special hits with his legs, making a large circle with one and having the other finish it, turning his body in odd angles to get the maximum height.

The force of his movements put dents in all the padding that his body touched which reformed moments later. The man's breathing had become heavy as his chest contracted with the need for air. Then without warning his body became like liquid, and his hips swayed as the lower half of his body went the opposite way from the upper. Suddenly Jonathan fell to his knees with his back inches from the ground, arms spread in a silly way.

_I hate you when you're gone,_

_I hate you turn me on,_

_I hate the way I need you when I don't know where you are…_

_I love it even more, when I find you on the floor._

_I know you think you hate me but I will always hate you more…_

It was hard for not to notice the emotion in his movements, to see the anger in him fade and then pick up with every repeated verse. It was in these motions; the way he held his body in control while it seemed to be in a state of jellied chaos that gave her heart a jolt when she thought he'd get hurt. But the man would seem to twist out of it and go back to fighting with gravity and to the beat of the song.

Becky began to wonder who it was Jon hated more… her or himself.

_Round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and…_

Jonathan rolled himself out of the position and straight into a standing, swaggering and swaying fighting stance. The back of his hands began to shoot out at and invisible opponent as his drunken movements gave him grace.

Becky watched as his body once again stiffened and he flipped over to a case next to the one wall. Out from it he brought a long scythe. Without worry of the blade, he began to swing the weapon in large circles, making the steel and wood seem as if it joined him at his wrists. The long sharp end came close to his thin legs multiple times and Becky couldn't help but move slightly forward into the door way to get a better look at his entrancing deadly dance.

_I never knew until I got a taste,_

_I'm so ashamed of what I did to you…_

Her eyes widened as he swung the weapon in great arching circles. Holding her breath she slid along the wall, a couple inches away from the door into the room. It was then she noticed Crane slightly falter in his movements and he nicked himself.

The cut was small, but he just kept going. Becky watched, worried, about the blood that began to stain his pant leg when he moved.

_I hate you when you're gone,_

_I hate you turn me on,_

_I hate the way I need you when I don't know where you are…_

_I love it even more, when I find you on the floor._

_I know you think you hate me but I will always hate you…_

_I hate you when you're gone,_

_I hate you turn me on,_

_I hate the way I need you when I don't know where you are…_

_I love it even more, when I find you on the floor._

_I know you think you hate me but I will always hate you more…_

Crane brought the weapon around hard, and had the wooden pole slam onto his shoulders as the sharp end of the scythe arched towards Becky's direction. It looked as if it had hurt, but Crane showed no signs of pain. He just stood there with the scythe hung over his shoulders listening to the last fading verse of the song.

By now Becky was almost completely in the room, her mouth slightly parted in awe. It was a mistake on her part. Jonathan had seen her figure in the sharpened steel of his farm tool. He'd been watching her reflection the whole time as he fought.

Crane assumed she'd figured out she'd been spotted when the image in the silver curve showed her inch towards the only way out. Measuring the distance in his mind he quickly threw the elongated sickle at the door just as Becky got near the handle. The steel cut thought the wood, not only shutting his little mouse's only way out, but the wooden handle had turned in a way so that it pinned the girl to the wall.

Becky gave a small shriek when the weapon came at her and as the wood dug into her abdomen as it knocked the breath from her. She tried to wiggle out of it, struggled, pulled, scratched, really anything to get away and out the door. However, it was too late, and Crane had already bypassed her. With a flick of his fingers he'd locked her only way out.

There was no more music; the CD player had come to the end of its track.

"HAHAHAHAhahahahahaaaaaaaa….."

Becky was confused, the man was laughing in front of her like the raving lunatic he was. But she tried to hold onto her dignity when his laughter stopped and his face became serious.

"So tell me my little mouse, what do you fear?" As he said this and with no effort at all, he pulled the scythe from the door freeing her, but Becky kept herself pressed to the wall.

"C-certainly not you." His smile widened as he spun the scythe in his hand, turned and walked away from her.

Crane took long strides over to the case he'd pulled his weapon from and locked it back inside. Becky pushed herself off the wall and eyed the door. She turned to look back at Jonathan as he began to stride towards her.

"Stay! …stay where you are." Crane stopped in his tracks but his face held contempt. "You, um, you're bleeding."

It was true, he noticed. Jon eyed the small cut on his calf. The wound wasn't deep but it was bleeding enough to make a small trail from the door to his cabinet and back. Looking back up Jon noticed that his Mistress had located his medical kit and was currently setting it up on one of the benches.

"I'll fix the cut before you become worse off than you are now."

"_That is true…_" Becky stared up at Jonathan at his strange tone of voice. Suddenly she became uneasy at the thought of helping her captor. "Hmm… ah, sorry. I merely finished a part of a quote you started."

"What do you mean?" Becky asked as she began to clean the cut on his leg.

"Ah, _ow_, it's a quote from The Wonderful Wizard of OZ." He smiled at her and put one hand on his chest as he extended the other to the ceiling. "_If Oz will not give you any brains you will be no worse off than you are now._" He retracted his arms and leaned down so that his face was level with hers. "_That is true._"

Crane gave her a wicked smile and stood up straight, content to let her wrap his leg. He'd made her blush and once again she felt as if she'd been dropped into some surreal world. A world where a man reciting a children's story could make her flesh heat and the thought of a Scarecrow seem enticing. Not to mention he was shirtless when he did this, and so close to her, which led Becky to notice his skin did in fact look a little grey.

"There, all done."

Crane removed his leg from her grasp as she scooted away from him, but he didn't come after her. Instead he stood planted to the spot, his face looking away from hers. Five minutes of uncomfortable silence passed and it seemed to Becky that she'd be the one starting the conversation.

"Can- can I go?"

"No." He turned his face to her. "At least not until you tell me how you managed to get that card off you head." Rebecca blanched at his words.

"It came off when I brushed my hair…"

Jonathan made a disappointed face; he'd really been hoping she'd conquer her fear of death by taking it off herself. No fatal harm would have come from it, but it would have been a definite stepping stone.

"What a shame…" He moved over to a pile of cloths next to her and picked up his hat. "Oh, well this thing was staring to give me a headache anyway."

With a smile he took out the electronic headband he'd used to control her, and snapped it in half. Becky was amazed that he'd do such a thing. Wasn't he worried she'd try to escape?

"Hmm, I suppose now would be a… good time to do this." Becky backed away from him. "Rebecca I-uh… well, I'm… I am-I…" Crane took a deep breath. "I-am-sorry-for-doing-what-I-did-to-you."

"For kidnapping me?" Becky sat in shock.

"Well, no… I'm glad I did that." She gave him a dirty look. "But I am sorry for… using what I did on you. Normally, I pride myself on using my own ways to get what I want, but I had sunk to a level that left me feeling ashamed."

"You're talking about the mind-control card and the love dust, aren't you?" Jon once again turned away from her.

"Y-yes. You see Becky I'm not very good at interacting with women… Heh, I'm not very good at interactions period." He turned to look at her, his face was pink. "Becky, you must understand, I uh, am new to this 'wooing' part of the courtship."

Crane came up to her quickly and took her hand in his. The man's eyes held a certain clearness and calmness that she'd yet to see in them. She was left to sit in shock, and then a thought struck her. It was an odd thing to think, but she remembered something her foster mother once told her: "Marriage is a good thing for a man; it keeps him sane. But it only works when there's a good woman to keep his feet on the ground."

Becky shook her head. Why was she thinking about marriage? Unfortunately Crane took her head gesture the wrong way, seeing it as a sign of rejection once again. He stood up abruptly pulling Becky from her seat.

"_Why?_ What must I do to get you to _want_ me?" His lips came crashing down on hers, but only stayed for a few seconds. His eyes held madness in them. _"Damn it woman!"_

He went to kiss her again, but Becky had recovered from his previous attack. She'd brought her hand up, stopping his mouth, and then with her other grabbed his right hand. In one smooth motion she twisted Crane around and threw him over her shoulder onto the blue matted floor. Moving around him Becky then twisted his arm and sat down on his chest, pinning him.

"DON'T YOU EVER KISS ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!"

"Fine, then I'll French you the next time!" Becky gave a sharp twist to his arm. "Aghhh!! That hurts!"

"Good it's supposed to you Scar-pervert." Crane just started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"Opening."

She gave him a confused look before he brought his feet up around her torso and pulled her backwards off of him. He then sprung from his position and managed to pin her to the floor, reversing their situation.

"First thing you should learn about attacking someone: know your opponent." He smiled at the glare she gave him. "See Becky, I don't have to worry about you doing that little maneuver."

"Why's that?"

"Simple, I know about your legs and how brittle they are. Tell me, was it Aikido or Judo?"

"A combination."

"Hmm, yes. It figures you'd learn a bunch of throwing techniques to combat your… _disability_."

Without thinking of the consequences, being that she was mad as hell so it didn't matter at the time, Becky brought her right leg up in-between his thighs. Crane's eyes went wide as his mouth let out a silent scream. The Master of Fear doubled over and rolled onto the blue mat clutching his bruised parts as Becky scrambled to the door.

It hurt but she kicked out the broken wood and managed to slip out the door. Becky ended up limping to the end of the hall, reaching the steel door that would lead her to freedom. After trying and failing to open it, she began to pound on the exterior.

"Hitting it won't make it open; you'll only bruise your hands."

Becky pressed her forehead against the cool metal of the industrial strength door. It would take a big bomb or Superman to open it forcefully. Slowly, she let herself slide down to the floor. Her legs were killing her and she had a migraine.

"Just let me leave… _please_?" A hiccup bubbled up from her throat as she began to cry.

"Hugh… Ok, I let you out, but under one condition."

Becky turned to look at him and his mind fumbled with his plan. He really didn't like to see this girl in tears for some odd reason. But Crane strengthened his will and steeled himself against her soft look.

"You have to stay here for six months, then I'll let you leave. Deal?"

Jonathan slowly walked towards her and held his hand out. Rebecca just stared at it for a moment, as if she were making a deal with the devil. Cautiously she brought her hand up and placed it in his.

With a gentleness that surprised them both, Jon pulled her up off the floor and into his arms. The moment would have been romantic had Becky not shoved him away from her.

"There's going to be rules to me staying here, Crane." She gave him a threatening look.

"Oh, of course my dear, come let's make up a list in the kitchen… after that little toss you gave me you must be hungry." He went to put his arm around her to lead her to the kitchen but she smacked his hand away.

"I know how to get there, thank you."

"Whatever you say, _Moffy_."

"Excuse me?"

"Payback for the Scare-pervert comment, my dear."

He opened the door to the kitchen for her and she stormed in past him. Crane only chuckled as she plopped herself rather undignified at the counter-table. Jonathan wondered if he should tell her that the skirt she'd decided to wear had ridden up in the back when she sat down.

Nah, he thought, it was better to just enjoy the view…

"So what will it be?" His guest gave him a sour look. "Hmm, don't like my cooking?"

"Let's just say that after a week of eating it, I understand why you're so thin."

Crane puckered his face at her and tried to control his temper. It was just a joke, a harmless assortment of words; sticks and stones and all that. It didn't diminish the fact, however, that he suddenly had the urge to strangle something.

"Well, if you don't like _my_ cooking why don't _you_ make something?"

"Fine, maybe I will." Taking that queue Crane switched positions with Becky.

"So Babe what's for dinner?" Crane leaned on the counter and did his best impression of Bo Griggs. All he got was a sneer from Becky as she took out a bowl and a frying pan. "Spatulas are in the second drawer."

"Thank you." She looked down at her instruments. "D-do you have any eggs?"

"In the refrigerator." She went over and opened the appliances door.

"Sliced ham?"

"Bottom drawer."

Picking out her ingredients she laid them out on the counter in front of him. Crane scanned them: eggs, ham, bread, cheese, maple syrup, and mayo. He was curious as to what she was going to make.

"What are you-"

"You'll find out." He'd been silenced.

Becky began making up the sandwiches as Jon wondered briefly how she knew he liked mayonnaise, because she didn't bother to ask if he wanted any. Crane watched as she began cracking two eggs and dipped the four sandwiches into them. Lastly she put the egg covered sandwiches into a buttered frying pan and began to cook them.

"Interesting, what's it called?"

"I don't know; my dad used to make this for me."

Crane hesitated for a moment. "…Which one?" Becky just stared at the pan.

"M-my real one…"

Jonathan nodded at her answer. He honestly didn't know how she felt, not meeting his own father till he was a grown man. His expression fell, Gerald Crane was still alive thanks to Batman, but that was something to plan ahead to.

"I'll be honest with you Becky; I want to… get to know you better." She looked up at him. "So..." He said this with a serious face. "…what's your favorite color?"

"Um, orange?"

"Really? Hmm, mine's yellow."

"Why yellow?"

"It's the color of fear. And you?"

"Uh, I like orange because it's …orange."

"I see, what's your favorite food?"

"Um… donuts. You?"

"Chocolate cake." Rebecca just smiled at him as she flipped the sandwiches for the last time.

"What an odd conversation." Becky said as she got out two plates and served them both, leaving the dishes in the sink.

"Actually it's quite normal for people to find information in this manner."

"Yes, but you're not exactly a normal person Jonathan." For the first time in Crane's life he didn't get mad at the person who'd made a joke about him.

He let the comment slip past him because Becky had said his first name for the first time since he'd met her. Ever since the trial she'd called him Mr. Crane, Crane, Scarecrow, or an assortment of curses and nicknames.

It was nice to hear something different form her.

They sat in silence as Crane devoured his food and was almost tempted to lick the plate. The food wasn't burnt at all and was comparable to Jervis's level of the culinary arts. Plus the maple syrup was a nice touch to the meal and satisfied his sweet tooth. It was so good in fact that he was tempted to steal the other uneaten sandwich that sat on Becky's plate…

"Hey, that's mine!"

"You weren't eating it."

"Yes, but I was going to!

"Too late…" Crane bit into the sandwich and Becky stood up from her seat.

"Ugh, you- you- _MAN_!" At this he looked up at her.

"I can't help it if your cooking's better than mine."

"WHY YO- wait, what?" Slowly she sat back down, processing his complement. "Humph… just shut up and eat."

Jonathan did just that, finishing the sandwich in a matter of seconds. When done Crane stretched in his chair, bending his back over the wooden rest and extending his long arms; content and full.

"I think, my dear, you may cook from this point on."

"Is that a rule?"

"Well, I could always cook?"

"Heh, now _that's_ frightening." Crane glared at her. "Whatever, I'll cook."

"Good, now about those rules?"

"You're not to touch me, kiss me, or come within five feet of my person unless I tell you to."

"Hmm… I don't think that will work for me." He gave her a wicked smile. "How about I leave you alone when you're asleep and if I try anything you can _try _to throw me off?"

"I suppose I don't have a choice…" She crossed her arms, angry. "…_fine_."

"You're not allowed anywhere but your room without my supervision." Becky stood up again.

"That's not fair! I need to walk around; you just can't keep me cooped up in my room!"

"Ugh, ok, ok! Gezz… you can go where you want except the laboratory, chemical room, storage room, and especially _my_ room. Happy?"

"I guess, but what about my legs?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just had an operation no more than three months ago; I shouldn't have done half the movements I've done today. Plus, I need to be out in the sun so my body doesn't get rickets again!" She gave him a stern look.

"That will be something we can work out, but for now I think it would be a good idea if I looked at your legs, not in a perverted way, and have you rest."

Crane got up from his seat and went to reach for her. Not trusting him Becky backed up suddenly, tripping over her chair, and almost fell had it not been for Jonathan catching her.

"I said _five feet_."

"I could have let you fall."

Becky didn't say anything, but she shrieked when he picked her up off the ground and sat her down on his chair. Jonathan brought her right leg up and examined it. She'd forgotten he was a doctor at one point in his life.

Of course this was the strangest check up she'd ever had. After all, her doctor was topless and she was his captive. Rebecca sighed, it sounded like some bad harlequin.

"There's definitely some bruising, but nothing serious. I'll make you up an ice pack and we can adjourn to bed."

"What? You're _not_ sleeping with me!" Jonathan rolled his eyes.

"You can adjourn to your room and me to mine. I'll also have you know I'm not completely without morals." Becky gave him a skeptical look. "I believe in sex _after_ marriage."

"You do?" She laughed. "Then why did you practically hit a home run the first day I got here? _Oh_, and that reminds me. You _lied_ to me and left me for EIGHT days alone in my room!"

Crane cringed at that.

"First off, oral sex is different. You can't get pregnant from that, and don't give me that look, it's not what you think. Second, I lied because you would have had that card off in a second if I'd told you the truth."

"And third?"

"Third… I- the first time was a mistake. I didn't know the jacket was tainted so it affected the both of us." Becky blushed and looked away from him. "The second time was my own conscious decision. I only wanted you to- to kiss me back. However, things got out of hand and you… ripped open my shirt, literally, exposing my plan."

"So why did you stop and _through_ me against a wall?"

Jonathan stepped away from her his head was downcast as he remembered the situation. The feel of her hands on him, the guilt of using Ivy's lust dust to get her reaction, the memory and fear of past failures…

"I was… ashamed of what I'd done and I feared where it would lead."

Speechless, Becky didn't know what to say to him.

"You should get some rest and get off your feet. I'm sure you don't need… or want me to walk you to your room."

Crane turned and began to walk to the kitchen door but was stopped by a set of arms that had wrapped around his waist. Becky was hugging him. For a moment he just stood there, and then slowly, he turned around in her arms.

"_Why…"_

"Don't take this the wrong way." She let go of him. "I still hate you."

The Scarecrow just stood still in his kitchen as he watched his Mistress of Fear walk out. Slowly he brought a hand up to his hair and ran his fingers through it. With his other hand on his hips he took a deep breath.

"I'll always hate you more."

…


	8. Zeusophobia

Perverted You

Chapter 8: Fear of God.

…

_~February 26, 2002~_

A tall man in an old trench coat and black sun glasses walked into a local market store. He had brown hair that was chopped short and a bit greasy. His gate was long and awkward. So when he walked in the young woman at the register would tense. The last time he was in he'd bought a large amount of food and some personal items.

The store didn't have cameras, being located in a small community where stick-ups only happened once a year if that. The girl, Amber, as her name tag read, kept a suspicious eye on the man. He seemed too ratty to be able to afford what he'd purchased the last time she'd been working. Now, he was acting really suspicious.

The man kept his hands in his pockets, shoulders tense, his walk quickened, and it seemed as if he were trying to hide something. Fear crept up along her spine. What would she do if he tried something?

The man disappeared down one of the isles and she searched her register station for something she could use; a bat, anything. But there was a knock on her counter which made her head shoot up.

"Ow… how can I help you…?" It was the tall creep. Looking at him made the bottom of her stomach fall out.

"J-Just this…" He said nervously.

Amber looked down at her counter and instantly her thoughts on the man changed. No wonder he was acting so shady. The man was beat red as she picked up the box of feminine menstrual pads.

"That will be $5.99 sir." The man reached into his pocket and gave her a ten.

"Wow, I wish my boyfriend was as brave as you."

She handed him back the change and receipt. The man stared at her for a moment as if making up his mind on whether to comment or not. After a moment he picked up his purchase and left leaving the girl to once again re-assess his character.

"What a sweet guy, kind scary, but sweet…"

…

Becky rolled over on her straw mattress for the umpteenth time. Her cramps this particular week were horrible. Overall, she blamed Crane; no man should have that much chocolate just laying around his kitchen.

"B-Becky?" Speak of the devil.

"What Mr. Crane?" The man frowned at her from his place at the door. She knew he didn't like it when she called him by his formal name.

"I brought what you requested…" Becky sat up and practically ran to him. "…um, you're welcome."

"Thank you." Becky opened her door all the way ready to go past him, but he caught her.

"My payment?" She fidgeted with the package.

"Fine…"

She really didn't want to waste any more time on him, but it was one of their new agreements. So, quickly she grabbed his poorly sewn shirt collar and pulled him down into a kiss. Jonathan had tried to make it longer but she managed to break it after a few seconds.

"Bastard." He let go of her and she made her way to the bathroom.

Crane watched her go with a goofy smirk on his face. The woman was going to drive him insane or worse since most of Gotham insisted he already was. Slowly his body edged into her room. He took in the level of neatness Becky had. It was long ago when he realized she was a bit of a perfectionist. He smiled as he ran a hand along her one dresser, stopping for a moment to inspect her hair brush.

Then a patch of color in her laundry drew his eye.

He recognized the smell as blood instantly, but it was different. There was an underlining smell, a smell that seemed to make is skin start to heat and crawl. A feeling began to bubble up from his chest, a warning. Crane hurriedly made his way from Becky's room, closing the door behind him.

He knew that feeling and it frightened him.

"This is going to be an interesting week."

...

Becky was confused. For some reason her captor was determined to contradict himself. That morning he was sweet and bought her what she needed to make her life a little more comfortable. He'd insisted he was rewarded with a kiss and her company for all of his troubles. So it made her mad when dinner time came she couldn't get him to come out of his room.

Not that she wanted to eat with him.

No, she could care less, but she was a bit worried about him. Becky knew his type. The man could probably go days divulged in his work without eating. She guessed he had a couple times in his life. Call it compassion for your enemy.

She blamed herself for getting to know him better. The last two weeks had been informative. It seemed that the two of them had a lot in common, while at the same time seemed to disagree on most of what they talked about.

Crane liked science, chemistry, and psychology; he could write the book on fear and phobias. She on the other hand only liked science and chemistry. He practically grilled her when she told him about her course of psychology. Her specialty was law, which she found Crane had an interesting point of view towards the subject. It seemed her views and his views differed in that area.

But one particular conversation stuck out in her mind… a discussion on Gods.

…

"_People will fear me Becky… I am a God after all."_

_She stopped in the middle of practicing her new throw. _

"_What are you talking about? You're not a god."_

_He just laughed._

"_Ahh… my dear. I am. I'm the God of Fear."_

"_Huh, you're nuts." Crane glared at her._

"_Trust me girl, I'm a God…" He walked over to her, coming behind her. "…don't make me show you." He whispered into her ear as his hands slid down her sides to rest on her thighs._

_Quickly she connected her elbow with his gut, twisted her body, grabbed his arm, and threw him over her shoulder._

"_Don't touch me, God or not." He just laughed from his place on the floor._

…

At the time she thought he was referring to his… ability in bed, but there was something off with that thought. Becky's thoughts turned to a past case she'd dealt with; Oswald Cobblepot otherwise known The Penguin. It was a hard bust, but there was enough evidence against him.

The trial was different with Mr. Cobblepot compared with other Rogues. He never went for the insanity plea, nor did he try to swindle his way out of his crimes. It seemed as if he wanted to go to prison, as if there was something scarier while being a free man.

There were multiple murder accounts, drugs, stolen jewelry; enough to put him away for a good amount of time. The Penguin was nervous, always looking over his shoulder. Scared and just plain frightened. No one had told her why; she just assumed it was from the massacre of his underlings and what the gangs could do to him. The odd thing was… she remembered hearing a mention to a God.

A God of Fear.

Becky just pushed the ominous thought away. Crane was a killer, a psychopathic murder, but he wasn't one to kill almost a dozen of Penguin's men no matter how much he despised the man. It would have been suicide, and from the pictures she'd seen of the dead, only a monster could have done that…

Slowly Becky made her way to his bedroom and knocked on the door for the second time that day. She got no answer. Becky stood; her head bent since the ceiling was so low, and tried to get his attention.

"Crane! Open up! Dinner's ready."

No answer.

"Ugh… JONATHAN? Are you in there?"

She waited a few minutes and decided to go check another locked room, but then she heard a shuffling sound. Becky pressed her ear to the door and a large crash made her jump back.

"CRANE? Jonathan what's going on? Are you ok?"

Becky tried jerking the door knob but nothing happened. Panicking she raced back to the kitchen and grabbed one of the knifes. Her legs started to hurt as she ran back to his door. Sticking the knife in the lock she began to jerry-rig it.

"Damn this works better in the movies."

The knife was shoved into door one last time and Becky gave a laugh in triumph. Pulling the knife out she threw open the door. Crane was on the floor and his body was convulsing. Quickly Becky went to his side and rolled him over. His eyes had rolled into the back of his head and he was sweating profusely. Becky tried to hold him down but his hands kept jerking, along with the rest of his body.

"Jonathan? Can you hear me, you have to calm down."

It seemed he recognized her because his face suddenly turned to her. White foam began to seep from his mouth as he frantically breathed from his nose. Then without warning his body gave one last violent contraction and he jumped on Becky. She screamed as Crane's iris-less eyes looked down at her. His hold on her was painful as he straddled her.

Then his face was next to hers, smelling her. All of his movements seemed primal, almost as if he'd turned into an animal. Becky's heart stopped when he began to move down her body, paying close attention to smelling every part of her person. She blushed when he rubbed his face against her one breast, but he continued down.

Becky tried to struggle against him, kick him, but his hold was strong and it seemed he didn't feel the pain. Soon his face was at the elastic of her skirt and her breathing picked up. Immediately her thoughts rushed back to her first day with him.

Crane took deep breaths as he hovered over her and nudged his nose into the fabric. Becky tried to wiggle away from his advances but she only succeeded in making her skirt ride up. It was then that Crane released her one arm in order to lift her skirt. Before she could do anything he'd thrust his face into her groin. Becky's face became hot as she felt him breath onto her thighs. Crane began making an odd growling noise but she was tired of his antics. For the past week he'd been constantly harassing her, she'd forgotten how many times she'd slapped him away or throw him to the floor after assaulting her.

"T-That's it…"

Taking her free hand, Becky grabbed Cranes hair pulling his face from her person. Using her one leg she put it on his shoulder and pushed him off. There was a ripping sound as this happened and Becky realized that Crane had taken a part of her skirt.

She sat up, her breathing uneven from the amount of force she had to use to remove him. Looking towards Crane, Becky became frightened. The tall thin man started transform in front of her. Crane's body twisted and morphed. His face elongated tuning wolfish and his teeth grew sharp. His body grew and his already tall form lengthened as his arms turned wooden, root like.

"J-Jonathan?"

The red eyes on the monster focused in her direction as it slowly tried climbed to its full height, but it ended up having to hunch over. Becky began to back up to the door her eyes wide as the scarecrow-like monster came toward her. Its root for legs dug into the concrete ground as its large claw-like hands grabbed for her.

Becky pushed herself up off the floor and dashed out the door with the creature following her. It crashed through Crane's door, ripping away at the wall. Her legs protested against the running but she made it down to her room before the monster could crawl its way towards her. She tried to lock the door best she couldn't so instead she pushed her dresser in front of it.

Taking her cane and knife she lifted the bed up onto its side and hide behind it. Becky curled into herself when she heard the door being forced open, her dresser fell over and a loud growling seeped into the room.

"**MAatee… SCreeeaaammm… Maaattteee…**"

Her body began to shake as it called out to her. Becky slowly looked up over her bed. The monster was stuck in her door, growling and drooling; when it breathed a green gas was spewed out onto the floor. Rebecca covered her mouth recognizing the gas and grasped her weapons.

"**MAATTTEEE…**"

"C-Crane?"

The monster only tried to jar itself from the door, tiring to get to her. Becky's heart was pounding in her chest and she didn't know what to do. She was so concentrated on the creature stuck in her door she didn't notice its roots slither up to her leg. Before she could react Becky was pulled forward toward the monster, she tried to grab the bed, but all she managed to do was lose her cane.

The monster grabbed her at the waist as it backed out the door. It held her up and watched as she kicked and wiggled in its grasp. Becky used the knife, bringing down on the monster's hand with all of her force, but the creature's skin was too thick and the knife bent. The monster roared into her face.

"**FEEEAAARRR… MAATTTEEE…**" Becky threw the knife at the monster and in turn it breathed its toxin onto her.

_She screamed as her mind threw itself back to a time when she was younger. She'd been walking home; her cane had been broken earlier that day thanks to Steven Murphy the schools worst bully, and the one boy who made it his job to torment her. She tried to curl up as he teased her and when she fell to the ground he kicked her shins._

"**YES… SCREEEAAMMM… BEECCKKY…**"

_Suddenly her fears changed and she was back in her old dark room; the one her father locked her into. Becky stopped screaming. Her father came in; he had on his special smile. Would he let her out today? No, it turns out she didn't do her job right, the food she'd cooked was burnt. The man's smiling face turned vengeful he took the knife in his hand. 'Come here girl, you'll learn.' He took the knife and brought it towards her legs…_

"NOOO!" She screamed so loud it awoke her from the toxins effects.

Becky's body shook as the monster held her in its grasp; she could hear it purring. It noticed she'd awaken and it tightened its grip. The creature lifted her up, and is large long nose slid along one of her thighs. She heard the monster inhale and its long tongue lick her.

After a moment of inspection the monster laid her on the floor. It growled at her, and then its long tongue slid out and licked up along her face. Blood and saliva dripped on her.

Becky shivered at the feeling but the monster didn't scare her. The monster sensed this and slowly, the creature began to change, its face became more human and its body shrunk. Within a few minutes Crane was laying, half naked on top of her. She turned her head to face his.

"J-Jonathan?" The man only stirred.

Rebecca sighed staring up at the destroyed ceiling. Rolling Crane off of her Becky stood up and pulled him into the bathroom. She got into the tub and placed him next to her; she turned on the cold water. Jonathan's body jerked awake as the water made contact with his skin. As the water showered upon them she watched Crane adjusted to his surroundings.

"Wh-Where? How d-did I get here?"

She rested her head on the wall of the tub as Crane stared at her. Slowly he sat up, the water still pouring down upon him. "Becky, your black and blue… and you've been crying… w-what- what have I done?"

Becky just smiled at him and put her head on his shoulder. A that moment she was too tired to care and the memory of her fears were still fresh in her mind. So she just curled up with Crane and let the water run over her.

Jonathan was confused; the last thing he remembered was being in his room tiring to get the lingering smell of Becky out of his head. The next thing he knew he was in his bathroom taking a cold shower with the very woman he'd kidnapped. Granted he wasn't complaining, the water had turned warm and he was enjoying the way Becky's hair clung to his chest. But he still didn't understand what had got him to this point.

They stayed there for a while till the warm water went cold once more. Crane sat them up and he inspected his Mistresses bruises. Her legs needed to be wrapped since they were scrapped and she had a large hand shaped bruise on her mid section.

"What happened to your skirt?"

"You ripped it." Crane's eyes widened.

"Did I- did I turn into…?"

"A monster, yes."

Crane took a deep breath. "Hmm, it's still working."

"What's still working?"

One long arm reached up and turned off the water. Crane eyed Becky for a moment. Should he tell her?

"Her name was Linda Fritwana; she was my assistant when I worked for the Penguin. Heh, I recall you were the one to put the bird brain away? Yes, well there was a reason why dear old Mr. Cobblepot was running scared."

Becky held her breath as his grip tightened on her.

"It was a project I'd been working on; gene splicing and D.N.A. implantation. Linda had tricked me; my fault for trusting her. As it turns out she used me as her own experiment. I-I'm not sure of the details… but she managed to splice my D.N.A. with a couple of animals and a few plant genomes."

"So what are you tiring to say?"

"I-I don't have any evidence to prove it and I can't remember what happens when I… transform, but I believe that I b-become something... and that you may have triggered this last event." Crane tightened his hold on Becky when she started to shiver.

"But… how?"

"Heh… you smell my dear. Ever since the 'incident' my body began to work on higher level, I could smell the very pheromones that created fear as well as other emotions. Becky, to me your pheromones are irresistible; and to top it off your in heat."

Becky blushed, so she made him transform? What a scary thought.

"So I guess I turned you on, huh?" She tried to laugh, but Crane only gave her a disappointed look. "Am I in any kind of danger?"

"I think that the worst is over, but I can't guarantee anything…" He sighed. "Becky what did I turn into? I remember discussing something with the Bat but he left several blanks."

"You turned into a-a Scare-beast, Jon. Fear gas and all. Huh, and I was hopping never to experience that again." Crane just gave her another confused look.

"Hmm, all I can do is say I'm sorry. Trust me this fiasco wasn't planned. As much as I hate the idea; I may have to spend the rest of this week without your company."

"Or you could release me?"

Crane laughed as he helped her stand up.

"Are you forgetting our rules, my little mouse?"

He gently pushed her up against the shower wall.

"Rules change."

Crane wiped the bit of blood on her cheek away as his fingers lifted her face to his. Slowly Jonathan brought his lips down upon her own. Becky didn't try to push him away or throw him off, instead she kissed him back.

"It seems feelings do as well."


End file.
